Ravaged Wings
by Dynnzel
Summary: A lot of questions left unanswered,unchecked emotions, a universal war tearing the dimensions apart.chaos and his race are gone,but there is still one thing left to fulfill.Sequal to Infected Angels cXK
1. Default Chapter

**Epilouge**

**Chapter 1**

**I've been watching you awhile  
Since you walked into my life  
Monday morning, when first I heard you speak to me  
I was too shy to let you know  
Much too scared to let my feelings show  
But you shielded me, and that was the beginning**

Now at last we can talk in another way  
And though I try, "I love you" is just so hard to say  
If only I could be strong, and say the words I feel

My beating heart begins to race  
When I turn to see your face  
I remember that sweet dream which you told to me  
I wanted just to be with you  
So we could make the dream come true   
And you smiled at me, and that was the beginning

Now at last we can talk in another way  
And though I try, "I love you" is just so hard to say  
If only I could be strong, and say the words I feel

Tell me what you're thinking of  
Tell me if you love me now  
I had so much I longed to ask you  
But now the chance is gone

While your picture fades each day  
In my heart the memory stays  
Glowing bright, you're always smiling   
And I will hold it close

_A large panic had been created in the disapearance of many many people since the mysterious return of the Durandel. A more majority of workers from the Vector Industries including the CEO, Wilhelm. However, the positions were slowly being filled over the next few months by Helmer's orders. In the mean time the remaining...human employees would be on leave. Or most of them anyway. _

_Shion Uzuki returned to the Vector Industries with the help of a few well chosen engineering specialists to help her with the android that had accomponied her from the beginning, Kos-mos. Her co-worker, Allen Ridgley, came and went only when needed. The already shy man was most of the time silent towards his chief. Recent events showing he had a lot to tell Shion about, things he wasn't willing to reveal yet. The others of their little group, Gaignun Jr, MOMO Mizrahi, Zigurat 8, and the Elsa crew plus a rescued research and navigations realian Akita were off doing their own things. Albedo... no one knew where that lunatic had vanished. The Durandel had been badly damaged by the assimilation of the gnosis planet. Many of the workers were sick, but quickly recovering. Full repairs to the Foundation's prized ship would take months or maybe a little more than a year. In the mean time Jr, Ziggy, and a voluntary Akita would be escorting MOMO to the UMN.There was one person however that was missing entirely._

_Their friend and counciler, chaos._

_He was gone now, along with the remnants of his race. Out of this universe you could say. No one was sure whether they would see chaos again, or if he would come back at all. Shion had found out she was atleast half of what was known as the Phoenix race, but her heritage was painful to embrace. She wanted to ask chaos about it, about everything of the mother she never knew. Unfourtunately that aching longing would remain void it seemed. Everyone had come to a sort of silence since the incident at the gnosis homeworld known as Dead's Tear, also a block to the blackhole that served as a sort of portal for the phoenix race. That silence was eating them away. Particularly to Kos-mos, who understood none of what was happening to her._

_** Emergency Override Sequence **_

_** Password: 56321 kEvIn WiNnIcOt **_

_**Systems Check: ...100**_

_**Error: Outside Interferance **_

_**Error: Self Module Termenated **_

_**Status: Mission Failed**_

"Oh come on! Stop misbehaving!" Shion snapped in frustration. This had been happening for the past several weeks. Once in great while Kos-mos would attempt an emergency activation when there was absolutely no logical reason to. Next when Shion would dive into her Encephalon and the android would ask when she would be allowed to awaken before even inducing the proper greetings she normally alleged.

"Chief Uzuki. I think we should stop for today." this was Eric Lino, one of her temporary co-workers.

"Alright alright just finish up with todays agenda's." Shion sighed in exasperation. She glanced over the consoles at Allen who had his back turned while working. Clamped up even more than before... no he'd never really held much back other than the fact that he liked her. But now that she knew a little more about him, he had a lot to answer for. He most likely knew why and how Kos-mos was acting strange. The black boxes inside her... everything. Allen just wouldn't do a thing about them. Flat out refused was more like it, he'd shown a stubborn side that she'd not thought possible with his character.

"Allen?" she called across the room.

"Yes, Chief?"

"May I talk to you afterwards?" She asked in her most nuetral voice possible.

"Sure, Cheif. I'll be a moment since I'm going to lock Kos-mos down." he replied without even looking at her. He wasn't cold toward her, still friendly enough, just... not as concerened it seemed anymore. Shion found that was just even more odd than the co-worker being a worry wart.

_Perhaps in time little halfling... perhaps in time you will learn..._the shadow watched Shion through the picture window outside a moment longer before vanishing deeper into the city's shadows.

**Oyia peoples meesa back! And with the sequal (obviously). It's not a very good epilauge but right now i'm bogged down with things to do. I'll do better on the other chapters. Hope you enjoy! Review please!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Kos-mosrox: Oh you never know**

**Cela Andromeda: -runs n hides- You'll never get it out of me!**

**Bright Wing Yume: Yes but that's for her inner brain, she has other passwords**

**Yes I know peoples the last chapter on Infected Angels was a little rushed. Sorry. But I'm glad people still like my fics Ok on with the fic! Oh forgot to mention that song in the beginning was from the Xenosaga II soundtrack so i do not own, well, actually I do own the cds so i don't know if that counts.**

**Chapter 2:**

_The giant chrome black ES blasted its way through one UMN column after another without any limits. Current pursuers just couldn't keep up with the quick jumper so eventually just pulled back, having the UMN computers keep track of the ES though even that was difficult. The lone pilot had a timeline to make so he wasn't about to stay in one place for more than 2 minutes it seemed. One thing was for sure, from the scattered remnants of what informations the scanners could pick up the unidentified ES was heading for Second Miltia._

"I hope you'll find everything fine here until we can locate whoever owned you." Jr told the purple haired realian Akita as they walked down one of the streets of Second Miltia.

Akita's eyes softened, "It's alright I rather enjoy being with your group it's very adventurous. Take your time, please."

The URTV grinned, "I'm glad you like us but it might be for the wrong reason."

She returned the grin, "Well it's not only that."

"Ah yes, the infamous hacker Hammer right?" Jr thought she had an odd taste for men, but who was he to judge?

"Akita? Do you have a last name other than your number?" MOMO asked. She was wearing a new attire that fit her perfectly, the hat looked especially good. (A/N: sorry too lazy to try n describe it)

"Well, not that I know of." She responded, "Yours is Mizrahi right?"

She nodded, "Yes it is. How do they treat you back home, do you remember?" MOMO hadn't been rude to Jr the past few months but had been a little silent towards him. She was still adjusting her sudden dulll anger at the possibility that he liked her only because she was modeled after Sakura, her big sister. This was completely the wrong way to take it, MOMO knew full and well that if she simple asked Jr it would be fine. But it had become more complicated somehow. She feared his answer as well as yearned for it.

"Yes I remember. They treated me well enough, but I wouldn't say it's as nice as you." Akita grinned while patting MOMO on the head. She turned to Jr, "When will we be going into the UMN for MOMO's scan for the Y-Data?"

"Should be soon, few days more at most. The government has been busy dealing with the remaining gnosis and Gaignun's problems. We've got a lot of meetings and paperwork still."

"I'm not exactly looking forward to it. What point is getting the Y-Data out of me if the Zohars are returned back to the Phoenix's home universe?" MOMO asked.

"Good question, but we can't exactly just tell everyone about them. They may be powerful but they need to keep their existence secret from our people." Jr answered.

"And yours as well." MOMO said without looking at him. She continued walking even after he'd stopped.

The URTV was hurt, then simply a little saddened. It was true, him and his brothers and sisters being Aeons, or Dragons as they might be percieved. Him losing his temper over Albedo had cost all of Old Miltia. What else was there to do? Strangely enough even though Yavyn was gone the gnosis seemed to be increasing their attacks and were multiplying instead of diminishing. It must be U-DO, however that thing was linked to the gnosis. But for now... Jr had to deal with current matters.

"If this is about my own past and current objectives you will get the same answer as the last time, Cheif. No offense or anything." Allen stated as the young woman walked up to him in the hallway.

"I know."

Allen blinked, "Then what did you need?"

"Not about your work but who you are. I know I'm a jerk to you sometimes, but it's that I have a lot on my mind."

(A/N: actually a lot)

_Is she actually opening that wall? _"I can answer choice questions I guess."

"If your not human, then what are you called exactly?" Shion decided she needed to start somewhere if Allen was suddenly going to be like this. But then again, that's how she acted to... self evaluation sometimes hurt, especially if you were prideful.

"Name? The name of my race... ya know what Chief? That's one you'll find out eventually. I guarantee that you won't ask the questions I can answer so I think this conversation is done." a blunt and rude way to end the very short diolauge, but her presence to him was making him feel a little... off and not in the perverted sense.

Shion clamped her mouth shut in surprise as the co-worker turned his back to her, "Ah, but Allen wait! That's not fair!" she pursued him.

"It's not fair that you clamp up your pain when I try to help you." there, he said one of the many things he wanted to say.

The brunette almost tripped, "Uh, that's a different story and you know that!"

"Could mine be any different?" he stopped when he didn't hear her highheels any longer, "Could my past be the same pain or perhaps more? Or just simple and sweet. You don't know that till I tell. Couped up pain is the worst to keep hiding. Although I'm sure while we were in the gnosis homeworld a big load of it was relieved." he added, "I'll see you later."

"Wait Allen! Just wait!" Shion ran up to him but slammed on her breaks as he suddenly turned around touching his index finger to her forehead.

"I'll. See. You. Later."

A strange sensation filled her, compelling her strongly to respond normally, "See you later." she smiled sweetly like nothing had happened. It wasn't until he was out of sight did the effect suddenly wear off dragging her rudely back to reality.

**Reviews please! Next chap comming soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

** Yay a lot of my old readers are coming back! Ok, the reason I didn't type absolutely NOTHING during spring break was because I was in Florida goin on a cruise to the Bahammas. I was deprived of computer but I had fun. Oky I'll stop yapping now!**

**Chapter 3:**

Shion didn't see Allen the next day or the next. She called his apartment at times to see if he was alright, he answered most of the time. But the conversations were short and sweet. Questions rolled around inside her mind like a landslide off a mountain. It was all in vain however, before the answers would subtly avoid her. Now they were rudely running away. Might as well not push it. There was no need to get worked up over things you couldn't control.

The engineer suddenly noted that one of the Vector guards was watching her intently. She stopped and plainly looked back. Complete eye contact was blocked by the man's viser. _Why is he looking at me like that? _Shion felt a shiver run up and down her spine. The entire halway suddenly seemed darker than before. Then..

_Ding!_

For a split instant she heard the familiar tiny bell ring that accompanied the arrival of Nephilim or when she was having a vision. In that moment Shion thought she saw a male with spiked red hair and yellow eyes.

"Chief! What are you looking at?"

Shion nearly jumped out of her shoes at the small voice behind her. Heart thumping she turned back to the now empty corner of the guard, then back and forth a few more times before collecting herself, "Uh, nothing I - hey what's the statis today?" the co-worker explained on the way to Kos-mos' outfitting room of her new armor, programs and everything on their list of accomplishments.

"We still have to keep her in lockdown though. Nothing we ourselves do will get her to stay still. It's like she's restless to get back out on the field again."

"Ya..." a flash image of chaos' face went across her mind, "She must have a lot on her mind. I think I'll go into her Encephalon and have a private chat with her today." perhaps it wasn't only that. Perhaps ot was Keteya malformed into who they'd known as Mintia. It was very strange that the two most unlikely beings were two very close people.

The rest of the day went by with the same frustrations. Kos-mos refused access to her Encephalan for the umpteenth time. It wasn't that they couldn't make modifications or anything, it was that the android was refusing contact where her seemingly useless data was tossed. Shion was working on her new project of armor when she leaned back and sighed. The computer began it's automatic calculations. The engineer suddenly noted an odd reflection on her screen. Black feathers fluttering to the floor. Did anyone but her notice this?

"Ok so the material that we can gather is that all gnosis are connected in some way. That's why their DNA structure is similar in one strand, and how they're able to communicate so easily with one another. But we destroyed their major connection to eachother, why are they still flourishing?" Jr wondered allowed while glaring at his research screen.

"You mentioned Nephilim hinting that there might be another, or rather the King Gnosis. It's possible that it could be what's creating more gnosis and still guiding them. It's not unheard of that a male could reproduce. It would only make sense in this case." Gaignun calculated, "Only if they reunited it would be a problem for then there would be more dangerous heirs so to speak."

Jr rubbed his face, "Ah there has got to be more to this." he grunted in frustration, "There must be a way to use this universal connection between them. I just can't figure out how. A piece is missing. If I had that I could figure a way..."

Gaingun stood up from his desk to stand beside his elder brother, "Don't think too hard you'll strain yourself. Besides, shouldn't you mend a little something?"

Jr glanced over his shoulder as the other male left, "Mend? I don't sow!"

"I meant to mend a little girl's heart." Gaingun replied as the door hissed closed behind him. The red headed URTV sighed, letting the gap between them grow wasn't helping matters any that was true. It was just hard to confront her. Why so hard exactly he didn't know.

Jr's search for MOMO had a lucky shot. He went to the park first where she would spend her time once in awhile. Even now despite the damage done by the infestation of the gnosis planet. Sure enough there she was kneeling beside one of her realian sisters of the 101 series. The two seemed to be removing the soil of dead plants as it was not completely as clean as the ship.

"MOMO?" Jr said loud enough for both of them to hear, "We need to talk MOMO." he waited for her reaction. At first the pink haired female did nothing but look at him, then stood up, excusing herself from her task with a friendly word. She removed the protective gloves from her delicate looking hands and tossed them onto a bench before following. They walked for what seemed a long time before Jr broke the silence.

"I apologize for hiding something like what I did from you. It's just so hard, to admit something like that. Ever since the moment I saw you..." he struggled to find the words, not daring to meet the realians eyes, "I admit at first I liked you because of you reminded me of Sakura. But after much self evaluation I realized you couldn't replace Sakura. I liked you for who you were. An intelligent, innocent and shy young lady, while your sister was an outgoing tomboy. I guess I didn't look deeply enough at first. But eventually I did..." coutiously he stopped to look at MOMO.

She wasn't looking at him with any anger or animosity, that which he was glad for. But she wasn't smiling either, just... looking. All of a sudden she reached into a side pocket and held something out, "Did you give me this before you decided that I was not to be Sakura?" it was the gold plated bullet charm.

Jr hardly glanced at it, "Yes." his throat choked painfully, he swallowed with difficulty to clear it.

"Then," she held his hand and closed his fingers over it, "then I don't want it. You made it for my older sister, not me."

Jr managed to swallow again, "Then what does this mean about _us_?"

MOMO bowed respectively at the waist, "I shall see you again." and without another word she left the URTV staring after her hollow of a much needed answer. It took probably more than thirty seconds to realize that the alarms had gone off.

"Chief what's wrong?"

Shion had stumbled into the worst place, the corner. But who could blame her for what her eyes were showing her? The guards set for the lab did not look like the guards she knew. Their eyes were slitted like a birds and different colors, not to mention there was a dark almost sticky aura eminated from them. It seemed that only she could see them, either that or she was just going crazy.

She pointed a trembling finger, "You're telling me you're not seeing what these are!" she almost screamed. The... humans glanced back atthe guards with puzzled looks, "Chief are you feeling ok?" one of them asked.

"We'll take her to sick bay since she's obviously not well." one of the guards started advancing towards the engineer, a sickening half grin plastered on his lips.

"No! Stay away from me!" in a flash of light she'd summoned her new weapon Miyuki had left before she'd left herself. It was lighter and easier to handle... although something gave her the feeling it wouldn't be of much effect to these creatures.

Miyuki...

Suddenly it made sense. In an instant flashback she remembered inochi saying _"...and you Nyima the eyes of truth."_

The crowd of people erupted in protests, "Chief calm down!"

"What on Miltia has gotten into you!"

"Someone get that away from the chief before she hurts someone!"

The pod suddenly released pressure as Kos-mos reacted to her creator's distress. Alarms howled not just from the lab but from the entire complex. Automated voices repeated the alert, the main headquaters in space was under attack by a single unidentified ES and that all military were being called to arms.

"Shion." Kos-mos shot the guard nearest her, then with perfect persition fired passed the employees at the Fallen Phoenixes. It had been a wonder that they'd managed to infiltrate into this and probably many other government systems. It had been a great mistake to have such an enourmity of them leave at once, making Vector and others vulnerable. But why were the Fallen still here? The seals they were looking for had surely moved on. Or perhaps not...

More guards poured into the doorway as the gunshots sounded, some of them human some not. This would get them nowhere, both Shion and the android knew these things could regenerate. But if they followed the act of secrecy to their race maybe they had a chance. If even that. Shion found it odd that this knew sight of her heritage would suddenly just start working after so many years. But then again it might be due to her human part or something else all together. Shion brought down a security droid with a single electric shot that overloaded its systems before weaving her way through the croud with Kos-mos leading the way, smacking down anyone that intervened with her creator's escape. However, under all the fighting systems being triggered; Kos-mos felt a hint of curiousity amidst all her cold machinery, of where the other phoenixes were. Had they abandoned this universe to those attacking? No, she decided finaly after recalling actions chaos would've done.

Everyone was totally confused as the single chrome black ES bypassed all security and shields, turning off all auto run programs and smashed into the space station with its ether based sword. As AGWS were dispatched to counterattack, missiles burst out of the wings and met their targets from the black ES.

"Gaignun Jr!"

The red head skidded to a halt to the hangers at the voice. He turned to see it was Jin Uzuki, Shion's brother.

"How did you get onto the Durandel when it's under maintanence!" Jr asked in surprise.

"I simply asked your older brother if I could come and visit. Now if we don't hurry we won't be able to stop that rougue ES now can we?" the soldier ran ahead with Jr at his heels.

"All I know is that it's not Albedo. I havn't even sensed him since the gnosis planet incident."

"Speaking of which, I need to pay Shion a visit to."

The preperations were made as the only two ES in the hanger were launching.

"ES Asher and Zebulun go for launch. Good luck out there." the flight supervisor saluted.

Outside the Vector HQ was already half way obliterated, gutted almost from the inside out. There was a ripple of silver then green streams as the rougue sent more missiles out. Abruptly it was inturrupted by the projectile weapons of Asher. It took the damage before manuvering to the oposite side of the floating complex, raking the side as it went. Sending shreds of metal casing and other debri into the void of space.

"Locking on. Charging weapons. Tell me when you're ready." Zigurat 8 informed from his seat on the Zebulun.

"Moving into position, we are go for second fire." MOMO replied.

"Meteor Blast!" bright orange light erupted, creating a form of man made asteroid with a homing device. The rougue found it no sooner than when they'd launched it. It countered by ejecting heat capsules and evading. The blast instead taking a big chunk out of the station. But it didn't avoid the Asher whiched used the moment for a sneak attack with Wings of Light.

"Damn it how did this guy find out all the security codes!" Jr growled as the hand to hand combat began.

"I'll admit that it does seem very improbible that this one could get _all_ codes." Jin responded unnecasarily while straining with the controls.

Metal clashed in the soundlessness of space, the rougue ES threw off Asher and boosted away. Impossibly the wings of the spacecraft continually fired green streamlined missiles at almost all approaching craft making it difficult to get near. Suddenly there was a flare of light as symbols formed around the black ES. It lifted its sword, cutting each one to gather power. Then the sword disipated into a simple ball of energy that gathered between the giant's hands. In a single beam of light it split what was left of Vector HQ in half. Not a split second later the thrusters activated and it headed straight down to Second Miltia.

"Huh! Oh no you bastard you're not going _anywhere_ today!" Jr fired off two missiles but they were adverted with heat capsules.

"Jr stop!" MOMO's voice came over the communicater, "Even the ES's aren't supposed to go into a planet's atmosphere! I don't even know how this one has the technology for it!"

"We can't just sit here MOMO! That killer is probably headed for the ground HQ and Kos-mos, Shion and Allen are probably there!"

"Perhaps if we combined sheilds and entered the atmosphere togather at the right descent path, we could make it and save time docking again." Ziggy suggested.

"Ya that might work. Let's hurry up and go!"

Shion gasped, "Kos-mos look!" she pointed up at something coming in fast.

"Shion, this area has become hostile it is essential to evacuate!" Kos-mos insisted, seeming frustrated at the delays.

"I know but- !"

"Cheif get outta there now!"

A shot whizzed past them downing one of the guards sneaking up behind Kos-mos. The android was unsettled at this, just like the first time chaos ha stepped in she couldn't use her sensors to detect them. Allen stood at the far side of the neatly cropped grass, waving a rifle for them to come.

_Allen..._

Shocked, the co-worker shook his head, "Oh no now what?"

_Bring them out for me so that there will not be any unessasary bloodshed._

"What! You can't be serious! I can't do that in my condition!" overhead the ES was drawing within firing range.

"Allen what are you talking about?" Shion yelled over the alarms.

_That's alright, I've been given permission to remove the lock._

Allen hesitated, he remembered the taste of power. How confident he'd been. When that power had been stripped away he'd become the helpless and scared individual he was now, partly unvoluntarily. But at what cost would be regaining his confidence?

"Alright bring it on."

"Allen? We have to go now!" Shion tried to drag him away but stopped when shards of light came raining down in an array of pastel colors. In the pandemonium black tattoos appeared under Allen's hair along both his temples extending far out enough to his cheek bones. Eyes flairing with power, Allen lifted his hands in call.

Suddenly the HQ complex came alive with movement of guards and workers alike. Shion saw their true forms as the enemies, they walked against their will somehow yet there was no resistence. To Shion she not only saw their forms, but their bodies were covered in thin glinting spider threads. Above the ES opened all slots and fired the green missiles, in the hundreds. Each pierced straight through the enemies chest and left them. Shion looked back when the light vanished to see Allen passed out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

"Shion!" Kos-mos leaped in front of her creator as the whistle of a missile reached Shion's ears. The android leaped up to meet the other weapon.

"Kos-mos no you'll be inciner-!" her scream was inturrupted as the area of sky above her erupted in lime green threads of smoke and light. The stench made her gag painfully as her lungs identified a dangerous substance. The poison spiraled inward and vanished revealing a figure not Kos-mos hanging in midair curled into a protective ball. Sprouted from his back were six blue energy wings that flowed in graceful movements. The figure uncurled himself, spreading his wings to their full extent of beyond eleven feet. Shion found Kos-mos standing not too far ahead standing as calmly as if nothing happened.

Without warning he dropped to the ground and turned to face them. He was fair skinned, wearing all black soft leathers, semi long silver hair and sunglasses. Across one cheek was adorned what looked like a claw scar. For a moment he didn't say or do anything. Just looked into Shion's eyes. Despite the dark glasses she knew that's just what he was doing.

"Nyima's daughter right?" he said at last.

Shion blinked in surprise, "Wha-? I- who are you! What did you do to Allen?"

A tiny smile of amusement crossed his face, "You don't recall? I was in your little travel back in time." in the blink of an eye he leaped straight into the sky right straight into the black ES on standby in the sky. The machine came alive again as the Asher and Zebulun came piercing down. The enemy shot at them with an unseeable force. The pilots watched in surprise as their screens locked out and the main thrusters went offline.

"Hey that bastard switched the controls!" Jr growled.

"We're locked out. Not even emergency override is responding."

"Honestly you'd think I would get a better greeting but then again my first impression wasn't that good." it was the young man from the other cockpit, his voice being carried by his outside intercom. Slowly the ES' were set down in the HQ front. The cockpits opened up to allow them exit. Jr and them instantly were out and drawing their weapons.

"Jin! Oh nevermind all of you stop! Don't kill him!"

"Shion he just destroyed an entire base without a problem and killed probably over four thousand crew and you tell us to not kill him?" Jr snarled. Jin glanced around at the blood spatters, remains of all that had been pulverized by the missiles.

"Those weren't humans though!"

Kos-mos nodded, "Correct, they were under cover agents of the black side of chaos' race."

"What? They infiltrated Vector? Why?" MOMO asked.

"It is currently unknown. But some aparently were after Shion. Most likely they've been informed of who and what she is." while they were discussing the matter Shion had knelt beside Allen to inspect the damage. Nothing from what her limited knowledge could tell. He appeared to just to have been exhausted. Shion curiously carressed the black marks. An electric tingle ran through her fingers causing her to look up at the black ES' cockpit which hadn't opened.

Jin approached it, "Would the pilot so kindly introduce himself. It would be easier to address you by a name." at first nothing happened. Then the one way mirror hissed as it popped open to reveal the young adult in a seat similar like the ones in the Dinah.

"And Nyima's son, Jin. You two are more grown than what they described." he smiled.

"What is your name!" Shion yelled up at him in frustration. From her spot on the ground she could only just see his brow arch.

"You might recall me little one," he continued pleasantly, "although when you saw me in memories I didn't have a scar. These poison weapons if cured in time normally leave a scar." gracefully he lifted one gloved hand off the controls and removed his glasses to reveal silver grey slanted eyes.

It smacked her mentally, "You're chaos' soul brother, Crescent. H-how- why ...?"

Crescent chuckled, "Shion Wilhelm sent me with this nice new toy to rid Second Miltia of its majority of black birds. Things are getting pretty heated at home the same with here."

Jr's grip tighted on his guns, "If you know something then tell us... please." he added. The URTV knew that the phoenix was only doing good for them and unfourtunately it took costs of life, you just couldn't avoid it in this transuniverse war.

"No need for that tone dragon. But I'm in a position to your military where I can't discuss things at leisure time." he looked at Shion, "Take care of Allen till he wakes up. Don't epect him to talk much though. He just regained his confidence in himself. Or perhaps not, he may have changed." indeed Crescent was right as authorities came rushing to the scene.

"ES Blackfire taking off. I'll be back, our meeting is not yet over." the giant machine was encased in a whirlwind of numbers and symbols just before it vanished out of the net of authorities.

"It's strange that he's chaos' best friend. They both seem quite the oposite of eachother." Jr stated while he watched Shion place a cool damp cloth on Allen's forehead. The now mysterious man's condition had deteriorated to a fever but it seemed to remain steady.

"One walks in with a calm gesture the other with a big bang." he continued.

"Well it's like that old analogy oposites attract. Although in this case friends." Shion said without looking at him.

"In odd cases, but then again we're all odd in our own way. Who's to judge who's strange? The so called sane people could actually be the _in_sane." Jr laughed while sliding off the table he was using as a seat. His face turned serious as his eyes traveled over Allen's face, "He sure was the last person I suspected to do _anything_ out of staying safe."

"Ya I'll agree to that. He was so simple and plain, now Allen's become... complicated. All of this is making my head hurt. I think if I don't die of old age it's going to be migraines."

Jr smiled, "You'll have peace in the end. Let's hope we'll all have peace."

The door opened and Jin entered, still with his katana at his hip, "Shion." he greeted.

Shion nodded in return, "Jin. What do you need?"

"Just to talk, actually have a decent conversation for once. It's nice to see your face rather than a flat computer screen for once." Jr excused himself, mumbling something about getting medicine for the fever.

Shion turned back to her work, which wasn't much, "What specifically do you need to bug me about?"

Jin chose to not react to this, it would lead directly to more snyde remarks. Instead he went and leaned against the wall at the head of the bed close to his little sister, "You care for him? Or are you caring for him for answers?"

The brunette stopped her action in mid flight, she did a quick self evaluation of what she was doing, "I guess it's sort of both." she replied honestly, "I just now started noticing how much he's done for me. Maybe not with the most grace, but he does try. I guess I'm just tired of complicated riddlesome people. But if he doesn't want to answer I won't push him. Allen is my friend and co-worker after all." her brother nodded. There was silence between them for a minute or so. The only sound was their breathing and rustle of clothing.

"Jin do you know of our mother?"

"Yes of course I do, Shion why would you ask something like that."

Shion looked at him, "No I mean the real mother behind the face she wore. Did she ever show her true self to you when she didn't to me?"

A distant look crossed the soldiers face as he delved into his dim memories of childhood, "What's this all about?"

"You've worked with chaos in the past, you know what our mother's race is capable of. Do you feel any sort of power? Any sort of trace, I'm starting to feel mine. It's strange, frightning."

Jin's expression turned concerned, "I remember some strange things vaguely. But what exactly are you getting at, Shion?"

The engineer dropped her cloth standing up, "Nyima was her real name Jin, not Heather. She's what's known as a pheonix! Jin, we have inherited half of her blood."

The other held up his hand, "Wait wait wait slow down sister! I can hardly fathom this. If Nyima is her real name, why would she hide it?"

"Because her race is not supposed to be here. They're not supposed to expose it if possible. The Pheonix's are not of this universe Jin. That's why the secrecy. They were only now able to return home. If you heard from the reports of the gnosis hive that's why they were unable to."

Jin suddenly reached out firmly closing his fingers around her shoulders. He didn't however look at her face, his head was bowed. Long bluish black bangs cascading like a dark waterfall. Shion was surprised at this action instead of her brother's normal philosophical calmness.

"Please Shion," he finaly looked up with pain in those blue eyes, "don't stir what is still tender with confusion and pain. You weren't the only one hurt those days. I remember doing things a human shouldn't be capable of..." his words trailed unfinished.

Shion suddenly saw herself almost, "Jin, my brother. I didn't think you were that sensative inside."

The x-soldier straightened up, "Just give me a little time to contemplate and let it all sink in. It's actually a big load of hard information you loaded into my mental pack." he smiled at her, that gentle smile that could melt many a heart. This made Shion realize that yes, it was a lot to suddenly take in. She nodded him off. Jin halted and turned with Shion when Allen sat bolt upright awakening as if from a horrible nightmare.

"Miltia's getting hammered, all these recent events are really scaring everyone." Jr stated as Matthews shut off the screen of news in mid sentence.

"If people start to panic in thinking it's terrrorists then Second Miltia is going to hurt economy wise when people move, and mentally." Hammer said.

Jr rubbed his chin in thought, "Not to mention the authorities are scouring every nook and cranny of this sector of space for the Blackfire. Everything's a mess all over again."

"Jr." it was Gaignun, "Jr we need to get moving. They're calling a private session between all majors in the issue of the Zohars."

_Zohars... _that meant Juli Mizrahi would be there.

"Alright I'm comming." he passed Akita who looked back at the three crew before exiting herself.

"Sir Gaignun?" Akita called and the brothers turned to face her, "MOMO has mentioned many things of you all. If her mother's going to be there wouldn't it only be fair if MOMO recieved the chance to see Dr Mizrahi?" the realian asked tentatively. She was good with secrets, it was all in herself and her programing. It didn't mean she couldn't find ways around the built in rules so to speak.

Jr and Gaignun looked at eachother.

Gaignun merely shrugged a _'Not my choice it's yours.'_

Jr sighed, "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Although you'd both have to wait outside the confrence hall till it was over."

The purple haired realian smiled, "Don't worry we'll find a way to get in contact." and with that she sprinted away to find MOMO. It didn't take even a second for MOMO to say yes. She hugged Ziggy goodbye saying she'd be in good hands and ran out with Akita.

Ziggy watched the pink haired girl vanish behind the automatic doors. He felt a twinge of something tug at his chest before looking away to busy himself.

Allen jerked his way out of the comfortable darkness of sleep. He felt the power tingle against his nerves. In his shock of intake the huminoid snapped one hand out sending the two nearest beings he felt right against the far wall of the room.

His eyes went wide, "Chief! So sorry you guys startled me." Allen lowered his hand, the motion causing the other two to fall flat.

Shion shivered, it had felt like someone had started running electrical streams through her body giving off an unpleasant feeling, "Allen... how did you do that?" Shion accepted her brother's hand.

A look of shame seemed to flash across the aubern haired male's face but passed before it was identifiable, "My mind of course. Don't compare me to a URTV however, my power works differently than theirs does." his voice seemed different, less hesitant.

"Oh," Shion approached with slight caution before placing the back of her hand on his forehead, "Fever's gone. That was a quick recovery." she commented.

"And an amazing feat that you pulled at the ground HQ." Jin added while stepping forward, "Might I ask what you would be called?" a little blunt but that was his way at times.

Allen rubbed the back of his neck a moment, then swung his legs over the edge of the bed, "Maybe later. I'd hate to procrastinate chief but not while I just regained what I'd lost. My mind... myself is a little jumpy right now." and he was right. His hands were trembling, his muscles twitching slightly as if undergoing a fast change or were in pain. Shion nodded, "We've all had enough shocks for one day." Allen didn't respond, instead just turned away from her rather rudely and just left.

"Seems like he's on edge."

"Everyone with supernatural powers is like that almost." Shion replied.

Jin grinned, "Like you." he kidded as he left the room as well.

Outside the complex the group had been placed in by the authorities, Kos-mos stood waiting at the door. From her position the sun was setting, casting reddning yellow fingers prodding the land with its last bits of warmth. A soft breeze toyed with the cultivated flora, the tempurature at a comfortable height. The sky was clear except for a few stray clouds or passing ships. It would've been a nice evening for a walk. Of course the machine didn't feel a thing. Kos-mos pulled deep inside herself. To her secret spot where no one ever looked, where memories were recreated. There she was waiting patiently.

The program that represented her pulse, well not program, conciousness(sp). Kos-mos knew that if she could go against her strict programming and let this one out to the surface then she would've completed one of her main objectives. But what then? When...if she was able to become what Kevin wanted... nothing came to mind. Her original creator had left it blank beyond those restricted files. All he'd put was: Live. What did it mean?

"Unsure are we now?" the black armored shadow commented from her seat on the roof's edge. She was swaying as if to the beat of a song.

"I cannot accomplish the last steps of his orders. I do see the logic in why Kevin Winnicot would place them." Kos-mos responded.

"Nothing is impossible, especially with the aid of the Pheonix's. The time is coming for you to let go of your machinery."

"... then how am I to function after that happens? I will not know what actions to take. What purpous I am for."

"Your destiny will reveal itself, right now you're not just a battle figure, but also a symbol for all machines. That they can live as well."

"I am not alive. I function as a net of programs laced together into one compartment in huminoid form to carry out my duties."

The other Kos-mos continued to shift back and forth, "So are realians, boxed computers, so are humans. Humans programming is their instinct so to speak. It's a natural programming you might say."

Kos-mos blinked, "What about Keteya? She's alive and yet she was dead."

The other's expression shifted the slightest bit to concern, "A mere shell of memory, but not the real Keteya. Either way Mintia will be driven by these feelings left behind by the poor soul. To me, the soul inside that abused body is a lost one."

"I am lost."

"Huh?"

"I am empty of anything. Niether soul nor a living spark. I have no soul that humans speak of for living beings. They do not even know if they're really are spirits."

"That's why they call it faith. You need to learn, learn how to understand all you don't. Yes a living beast's emotions do consist of chemicals working in the body reacting to certain thoughts. But that's just it, it's the thoughts that trigger the feeling, not the flesh and blood. Like a child brought up to be an emotionless assassin, Kos-mos."

"I don't understand."

"Learn then, having a body like a human will only help you understand."

"But even if it was possible, I wouldn't be the same existing android and you are aware of this. Memories are tied to who someone is." Kos-mos countered.

"True, but with chaos there is no limit to what is possible right?"

"Kos-mos?" Shion touched the android's shoulder, "Let's get going now. I have a feeling a lot is going to happen and soon."

**review please! Next chap comming soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

_How long has it been?_

The question echoed across the mental field of a different dimension of minds.

_Years? Yes it has been years..._

It felt familiar yet odd at the same time. Being weak for so long had caused his body to deteriorate some, now it was regenerating in an irritating fashion. By no way was he the strongest of his group, but with no others around it did make him the dangerous one. Allen Ridgley, the last person you'd expect to be... _abnormal._ It had been necassary though, for the pheonix's to drain him. They needed his power at the right time and at precisely the right place. Had the young man used it prior he would've revealed himself to the black pheonixs and the entire plan would have gone to ruin.

The time was approaching. Now that the gateway was open the pheonixes could use what was on their side - with careful secrecy - in this existence so the search for the seals would progress with immence proportions. However, Allen had a hunch that should Wilhelm's side find them all, he wouldn't use them.

The co-worker made his way through the shock tainted streets of Miltia, citizens chatted nervously about recent events. Theories of what was going on reeked in the air. Some were a little outragouse, but none were close to the truth. It would seem to him, an enhanced being that one like Wilhelm's brain would explode with migraines at the complexity of details and majors in their many plans. But the fact that his nueral pathways were completely aberrant to that of a human crushed that thought.

Eventually the bright aubern haired man found a hotel where he checked in a room for the night. Upon dropping face down into the softness of the pillows, Allen made a promise to himself that he'd tell the chief tomarrow whenever he could find her. It seemed that this was best done in person rather than communicater though.

_Hehe, she's very beautiful isn't she?_ The male voice was low but noticable. It was Crescent.

Allen rolled over to stare at the soft toned ceiling _I'll admit to that, but her heart is still with Kevin's so I will try not to ask her for a date. Not to mention I don't know what the others would think, she _is_ Nyima's daughter. Not fit for a lowlife like me._

_Au contraire Allen. That's what she needs, a life away from the job that pains her still deep inside. Shion feels pitty for herself to the point where she felt the need to finish Kevin's dream._ Cres gave a mental sigh. _Shion needs to know her other people._

At this moment Allen sat up. _Know her other people? Are you saying that this conflict is going back into your existence?_

_It was always in our universe. Started there and spread here when Wilhelm had no other choice but to scatter the seals to protect them for the time being. It's not as beautiful home as it once was. Hatred, agony, death, is reshaping it dark. The atrocity of it is giving the Fallen an edge._

_All over that crystalized girl that holds that hidden ability._ Allen snorted.

Cres chuckled. _That's how it started, that's what still being faught over. But now there are other things that complicate the matter._

_Like what?_

_Things I don't know, however. Wilhelm is close to the point of wanting to rise from the ashes renewed._

Allen's brows knitted in puzzlement. _But why? We're at a critical turning point in these planar wars. He can't just up and be reborn right now!_

_It's his choice, he may be the most amazing phoenix in mind in our remembered history. But even one as great as him has wants, needs. Not only that, Nephilim is also comming to a point where she will rejoin her body inside that stone, and rest eternally. She becomes more distant, fading even. If we are to keep her from growing into a grief stricken essence that could wipe us out from the inside, then we must find those seals._

It was strange to think of the apathetic essence known as Nephilim to go mad. But it would only make sense, whoever and whatever she'd been in her existence before what she currently was -counting how long she's been that way- there would come a time when memories would deform even the most wise and intelligent. It was all becoming a lot more complex.

_Who is going to go back?_ Allen finaly asked.

_Well, to fulfill a deal we must take Kos-mos. Obviously Shion would not go anywhere without her, then Jin for he has thr right and heritage all the same. And, you if you so chose to fulfill your promise willingly._

_Of course._

For a moment there was nothing but silence. Making Allen wonder if Cres had cut off the line.

_What are you thinking?_ He tested.

_Huh? Oh, about Silk Wing. Actually he can't be called that anymore, our wings are currently clipped. He's been a mask of protection lately in the years at home. chaos is torn between the image of his beloved, and the shell of memories that so haunts him in his nightmares. We still do not take complete death easily. And this Mintia created by Yavyn has really torn us, especially him. He's just so unsure right now. The pandemonium in his heart... I don't know how he'll react._

Allen didn't know what to say. He'd never been close to anyone really, Shion was as close to love as he'd ever gotten even from his parents. But chaos had probably been with Keteya for a very long time. As a young punk with his sisters, reborn (in their time) not too long prior. There was no telling how this reuniting was going to be.

Allen suddenly felt a headache coming on. _We'll talk later, right now my nuerals are about to advance for the second time in my short life._ He settled himself laying face up in the center of the bed after removing his coat and shoes.

_Very well, I'm busy anyway. No rest for the weary._

"Oh MOMO I don't think it's a good idea to wander too far! What if the meeting ends early?" Akita had to almost run to keep up with the other realian.

"Don't worry this market goes in a circle we aren't going that far at all." MOMO responded while at the same moment skidding to a hault in front of a stand. After awhile of waiting she just couldn't sit still in waiting for her mother. And as fate would have it, one way to get the edge off her impatience was physical activity... and a little shopping added to it. So far they were careful, and MOMO had bought Akita a dark silver toned outfit to complicate her hair. It consisted of a coat that even had battle qualities such as resistance to beam type attacks, then slacks and sleeveless shirt, and normal lengthed flat heeled boots. Akita had been stunned at the unexpected gift, never before had someone done this for her. She was all business and no play beforehand. Now she felt a little like a guardian having fun at the same time. At this thought, Akita remembered Zigurat 8, the poor cyborg was probably jealous. MOMO was the closest thing to him, atleast that he'd allow. The events she'd seen in those others memories had not been pleasant.

"MOMO, I have a question for you."

"Hmm?" the pink haired girl mumbled in response since she was taking a sip from her drink.

The other realian fumbled for the write words, "Um...w-ah...What is Gaignun Jr to you at this moment?" to her surprise MOMO didn't suddenly look distant or upset.

She rocked back on her flat heels thoughtfully, "He's a good friend still." MOMO smiled up at Akita who seemed unconvinced. Abruptly both turned at an unexpected sighting with their automated sensors. The only weapon machinery allowed in the citizen sectors of the city were the military's patrols. Then how come they were picking up unregistered numbers?

"Come on let's get back to the center." Akita hurried along holding MOMO's hand. The two realians ran almost full speed until Akita slammed to a stop, almost toppling over when MOMO ran into her. Up ahead the older realian spotted men in white uniforms making their way aggressively towards their position.

MOMO tugged her arm, "Come on this way!"

For the Y-Data that was no longer there. The enemy obviously wouldn't believe till they opened her up and looked themselves. This was Margulis' men no doubt... hopefully. MOMO tried to send a signal with her built in communication system but she kept recieving an error message. Most likely the area was being jammed. But to do that would cause the entire area to go silent and that would bring immediate suspician from the authorities.

The two young ladies weaved hastily through the crowded streets, Akita holding one palm on her holstered gun. They had to backtrack further away from the meeting hall, the men were not about to let them get their friends. Another possibility was they were trying to net them. And that Akita couldn't allow, even if she survived Zigurat 8 would kill her two times over. Shots rang out from an automated weapon startling people into crouching positions. This impatience got them exactly what they wanted: a clear view of their targets.

"Run MOMO! Go!" Akita fired two rounds meeting their targets. Violet lightning stunning them if the bullet itself didn't kill. It was a full blown hunt now with predetors snuffing their prey right out of cover. It was so typical of them really, but tactful. Striking an enemy when they were the weakest. Akita should've not been so lax in MOMO's security. Diving violently into a realian's neural pathways could absolutely destroy the person mentally, unfourtunately it was the most effective way to get what they wanted. And that's what they would do rest assured.

The two grils ran through confusing alleyways and streets trying to lose their pursuers while at the same time getting back to the council. No matter where they went it seemed that elite hunters were there, tracking their movements. MOMO's throat was burning, her lungs it felt would explode if she didn't get a chance to rest. She and Akita both were able to outdistance a nonmodified human easily. But even their enhanced endurance ran out eventually. Sparks flew right near their heads causing MOMO to scream. Shots of return fire echoed off the hard walls. Akita snatched up her charge's hand and jerked around a corner.

All of a sudden an alien program activated, and her inner eyes revealed to her a map with a pathway marked onto it. _Huh? Who is doing this! They can't remotely tap into my brain it's a closed system!_ Multitasking running, fighting, and running a diagnostics of her brain, Akita found the chilling fact that she wasn't being invaded. Someone that knew her from the inside out was trying to guide her somewhere.

It was a dangerous risk. But at this moment what else was she to do? None of the authorities seemed to be responding to this. Someone must've paid them off a great amount of credits. Akita ducked in time, feeling the bullet graze the top of her hair.

"Akita! I don't think I can run anymore my reserves are spent and - ."

"Just hold on a little longer MOMO! I'll carry you if I have to!"

The virtual path led to the inside of an seemingly empty warehouse. Akita kept running and didn't let go of MOMO's wrist till they found shelter behind some crates. The pink haired realian slumped against the cold steel taking in ragged breaths. She glanced up at her friend who stood just at the corner, gun at the ready. When heavy booted feet _thunked_ in MOMO quickly silenced herself. Akita waited, listening as one of the thugs approached closer and closer. Particles of violet light began spiraling around her body and gathering at the end of her gun's barrel.

_Ten feet...six...five..._

Two flares of violet engulfed the approaching predators sending them flying back against the other crates. Again the duo were on the move to a different section as an uproar started. Akita was a few steps ahead, turning the corner cautiously - then gasped in surprise before she was snatched up off the floor. MOMO barely had time to register the event before she herself was grabbed from behind and dragged into the shadows.

Jr looked up.

Gaignun glanced at him.

"Did you feel that?" Jr said quietly so as not to disturb anyone else.

His brother nodded, "Something has happened."

**Aye! I have things to do and this is where I'm gonna end my chapter for now. I'll try to get the next one sooner than this. Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I apologize for any confusion I may be causing. I'll try to make things clearer. And sorry for the late update! My brother just got me a ps2 and I've been playing it alot! Hey don't give me that look! Oh, and the reason I changed the fic's name was because it suited it better than 'Void Soul'.**

**Chapter 6:**

The evening was beautiful and warm. Serene as a gentle breeze blew in from the Miltian sea. Cres sat on the cliff edge watching the waves crash against the rocks below in a never ending attempt to crumble them. Even though he wasn't at home, it was nice here although nowhere near as nice he had to admit. Cres frowned; well, give or take a few baleful places that had started to manifest themselfs and spred. What Shion had glimpsed of their dimension had been so long ago that it was not to be anymore. It was a sad thing. All of this death, pain over an ability they'd lost to her so long ago. Now it didn't matter.

Everything had been ripped apart savagely. The triplets no longer held the responsibility of their life, death and chaos in between those passings. They'd been so long exposed to this universe that their bodies had adjusted and now could live without a connection base of the chosen three. So now they were prone to being killed now that they weren't needed by both sides.

Crescent sighed heavily. He ran his index and middle finger across the few scars of his face. Long ago scars would not mar the body of a Phoenix. Now with these new weapons, if the wounds were not healed they would either kill you or leave scars. Luckily their bodies were adapting but only painfully slow. Small cuts of poison weren't lethal to them anymore. A good thing to, or he'd have been dead several times over.

_"All phenomena are set forward. The deal is being completed."_ the warrior's liquid silver eyes sparked_, "All Protectors are doing their task and MOMO Mizrahi will undergo her Y-Data extraction. Is it at this point that we will abandon the aeons to their own? It seems it is a critical point to pull back."_

_"This is their home. We have intervened too long."_ Wilhelm answered. His voice was silent, a bit muted by interferance despite it was a telepathic phonecall.

_"But only so few can undertake what needs to be done! We cannot abandoned them until the King is dead."_

_"I am well aware of this. Once he is disposed of then the remaining gnosis will be but an annoyance to all the star systems. But I my orders stand as they are."_ Wilhelm's presence faded from the younger's mind.

Cres opened his eyes and was a little surprised to see a little girl standing next to him, unafraid of the cliff height. She was about the age of seven, wearing a neat pink and blue dress with matching fake flowers holding up her pigtails of white blonde hair. The little girl examined his face with the utmost fascination and curiousity.

"Are you an angel?" she finaly asked.

Cres chuckled a little sadly, "No I'm afraid not."

"How come?"

"My wings were torn up by Satan's demons. So I am cursed with fake wings, never to return to my people's full glory." it was true to most degree.

"Why?" she asked eagerly, "How come they would hurt an angel so pretty? Are you the only one that was hurt by the demons?"

The Phoenix smiled at the youngling's innocence, "Well I'm not the only one unfourtunately." his gaze turned to the setting sun. It reminded him of one of his people dying in a huge flare of fire and passion. The seven year old sat down next to him, completely unafraid.

"Are you my guardian angel?"

"Well... I guess you could say that."

"Really!" her blue eyes lit up, "I don't care if your wings are broken or if they're fake. So long as you protect me from the demons and bad gnosis."

"I'll do my best... what's your name?"

"Kari."

"...Kari. I'll do my best for you, Kari." he took one of her delicate hands, "I have a gift for you. You can use it only once, understand?"

She nodded excitedly.

"Alright," he held her palm up with his left, and with his right he reached up into the air. At first nothing was their. Then all in one instance the six beams of light that served as his fake wings appeared, disapated to reveal a brief glimpse of his real wings, and then even they vanished all in one second. Cres held a closed fist over her hand, then opened his fingers to reveal a silver feather untouched by the violence of the Fallen, "Should you be in the greatest of trouble, just hold this against your heart and it will protect you."

Kari held the feather like it was the most rarest thing in the entire universe, "Thank you Angel! I'll take good care of it!" suddenly she looked up at him sadly. Cres knew why. His wings though a brief moment they'd appeared, even she could collect what they really looked like. Their fallen brethren had taken their wings as a critical target. No wings no flight, not physically actually. The Phoenixs could fly without the use of wings. But if they were damaged or completely ripped away, it was like losing a part of one's self. So it hurt their spirit more than their body.

"Kari! Kari get away from that cliff you could fall!" Kari's mother came running toward her.

"I won't fall Mom! My guardian angel is right - ." Kari stopped in midsentance as the spot next to her was empty.

"Yes but your 'angel' won't save you if you fall." her mother picked her up quickly.

"Mom!"

_"Don't cry, Kari."_ Cres comforted her as he settled himself into his ES, _"I will be there for you at your greatest moment of peril. But we all leave eventually, even broken angels go home. Someday... someday perhaps even you will take to the skies."_ Cres sent the little one feelings of comfort as he hooked himself up physically to his machine. Tonight she would dream beautiful fantasies. Cres enjoyed children very much. Just as inochi he wanted them someday as well. But not while the war was about to reach its peak.

ROUTINE CHECK COMPLETED: NO ERRORS.

COMMENCING ENCEPHALON DIVE...DIVE COMPLETE. 

ORDERS: SECOND MILTIAN CAPITAL

ACKNOWLEDGED. SETTING COURSE FOR SECOND MILTIAN CAPITAL.

Cres pulled the jack out of the plug in fused to the back of his neck. He shook a little bit. He still didn't like the fact that something foreign to his body was being injected into the back of his brain. Cres swore that his friend, Jacob, that built this made the boot up program this way on purpose just for him. Oh the sarcasm they still had despite the situations. The chrome black ES shot up into the sky until it was only a speck, then streaked away to the west.

The only thing Cres was worried about on top of the aeons possible demise, was Mintia. She was a walking living corpse that was carrying Keteya's memories... wasn't she? Keteya was dead right? You couldn't bring back what humans called the soul once you were passed on right? But then again... Yavyn was one of the most advanced gnosis royalty yet. She had her ways. And most likely passed them on genetically before the Fallen had had her transported to this dimension. It would be beyond pandemonium if Mintia showed herself again. She and this Joe were under no one's orders despite the attempt to control them. And chaos had moved on as best he could. Cres could only imagine what his brother under the sun was feeling inside right now. He also suspected that both Kos-mos and Mintia had been reasons he hadn't come. Cres couldn't blame him for wanting to delay the inevitable.

**ooo**

**Yesh it is a short chapter but no worries! I will update this sooner than last time. So... review please!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I feel sad. I update and boom! I get over two hundred hits more than I had but not a single review. :sobs: Oh well. :puffs like baloon: I want my Microsoft Word! Ok I'll stop talking.**

**Chapter 7:**

"And she and Akita have been missing since then?" Shion asked.

On the other side of the screen Jr sighed, _"Yes, we can't find them either. It's really strange, not even the her mass produced sisters can locate either of the realians. And it seems their communications have been jammed by who ever has them." _the URTV was tapping his fingers constantly, aparently trying to restrain his emotional outbursts.

"Hmm. Well I'm only here as a supervisor for this part of the project. So how bout I head over to the City Sector and search by foot with the others?" Shion suggested.

_"That would be very appreciated Shion. To me you're more dependable than a bunch of cops."_ Jr then cut off the line. He turned half way in the chair to see not only Gaignun but Juli Mizrahi standing behind him as well. She was a little hard to read, her face was impassive and emotions surpressed. Without a word she walked away.

Gaignun watched her, "She doesn't seem happy either way."

"Jr. we won't accomplish anything while sitting around." Ziggy stated firmly.

"I'm coming old man!"

**O**

Shion turned the halo screen off before leaving the console. She glanced around at the development research team. Still no Allen. Where was he? It wasn't like him to skip work at all.

"Excuse me?" she stopped one of the higher ranks, "Has Allen Ridgley ever checked in? I havn't seen him at all today and yesterday." The co-worker shook his head, saying that Ridgley hadn't reported in and was not at home. _Does it have something to do with him gaining back his confidence so to speak?_ Shion thought. _He looked like he was about to be sick when he left... hmm._ Riding in the elevator, the chief took out her terminal computer and dialed Allen's. Suddenly the words popped up: LINE CALLED DISCONNECTED.

"Disconnected? Allen just what are you up to? Did work finaly get to your head or something?" Shion said aloud to herself. After a minute thought, she reluctantly called her brother. Jin was delighted she'd called _him_ for once. Shion explained the situation and that she wanted to find Allen back on the KOS-MOS project soon.

_"You sure he's not just sick of you? That boy did seem sick you know." _

"I know that Jin, but with almost a quarter of the staff of Vector killed because they were the Fallen we're short on good hands. Allen is the only dependable one I can count on."

_"You care more for Kos-mos than Allen. Don't forget Shion without his dependable hands you wouldn't have gotten that android up and running this quickly. Atleast show a sign your concerned for him for once."_ Jin half teased.

"Oh! Jin you make me so mad! Of course I'm worried about him! Especially if he's missing right after MOMO is. But I also have Kos-mos to worry about, she's been acting wierd lately. Glitching when she's not supposed to for instance. It's like she's confused about something."

_"In any case of course I'll come and help. Certain people would be very upset if everyone didn't pitch in a hand. I'll meet you at Sector One at the entrance, ok?"_

"Got it. And Jin, please hurry."

Shion waited, impatiently tapping her toe with her back to an AD poster saying the Seraphim Sisters were coming for a live concert to help relax the people from recent events, even with a guest star. She noticed that guards patroled the streets, Miltia was definately changing. The people seemed a little jumpy as of late political calls and battles. Shion squinted, something was different about the people.

_Nyima, the eyes of truth..._

shi's words echoed back to the surface. Shion looked at her hands, she was half phoenix. Inheriting her mother's gift for truth. But it was unharnessed, it switched on and off continuously ever since chaos and his sisters had exposed her to their otherwordly power. Her heritage had awoken then, it confused her at times. She didn't like it. What was to become of her? And Jin for that matter? Cres had said so, the phoenixes had to leave, this wasn't their dimension to intervene. They'd brought the gnosis here, and wanted to clean them out. Joachim had merely made it easier for the gnosis to cause devistation. What would happen to those like her and Jin?

"You're preoccupied."

Shion nearly jumped out of her shoes at her big brother's stealthy approach, "Jin!" she complained, "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I didn't, I walked up like a normal person. You were just in a distant place staring at your hands." he took them in his, "Jeez Shion, they're cold. What's bothering you?"

"Oh! It's... well it can wait. Right now let's just go and see if we can find Akita and MOMO. Allen said he might go to a hotel so we can check any we come by to see if he's there."

"Alright then." he let go of her hands.

The ex-soldier and chief engineer walked and asked around for a few hours. Some were the same story, nothing. Others said they'd seen the two reailans running this such way. The hazy directions led them to an empty warehouse.

"MOMO!" Shion called, "Akita! Are you here!"

"There was a fight."

"What?" Shion turned to see her brother kneeling by a trickle of blood, on the side of the crate was blood spatter. Someone, perhaps one of the pursuers had been shot by the realians. It was Akita most likely, for MOMO only had concentrated Ether arrows that burned clean through.

"This means they were here then." Jin pulled out a small bottle to collect a sample of the semi dried fluids before standing up, "Let's check the rest of the warehouse." They searched but found nothing. Shion walked down one of the back halls and noticed something by accident. One of the tiles on the ceiling looked out of place. Curious, Shion jumped up to shove the tile out of place completely and something fell out.

"Jin! Jin come here!" she waited till her brother rounded the corner, "I found MOMO's hat, she was definately here."

Jin looked up, "Well if they were hiding here then... sister would you mind going up to see if anything else was left?"

"What? Why me? Oh fine I'll do it, just give me a leg up."

Shion shoved aside the tile entirely, she coughed as dust choked her lungs. From what she could see there wasn't anything else, but shifts in the unused dusty vents told her that more than two realians had been hiding there.

When Jin helped her down she contacted Jr.

_"You found something?"_ the red head asked excitedly.

"We found where MOMO and Akita had been, gunshots were fired, there's blood everywhere. I'm surprised no one outside heard them."

Jr's face fell at the mention of gunshots, _"Wait are you certain that both of them were there?"_

"Positive." Shion held up the prototype's hat, "We found this in the vents where they were hiding." She watched Jr close his eyes. Shion waited patiently, letting the URTV keep his actions collected.

_"If that's all there is to find then come to the space port, bring any other evidence you have. We need to regroup."_

"Got it." she closed her terminal, her other hand fingering the soft fabric absentmindedly. Suddenly everything went hazy, she saw blurred figures, four of them, drop out of the hole she'd just been in and run. At that moment everything snapped back to their original clarity. Shion blinked and shook her head almost like a dog.

"Something wrong?"

"I... saw them."

"Who?"

"It was all unfocused, but I'm pretty sure it was MOMO and Akita. They'd left willingly with two others from here." she pointed up at the opening.

Jin was confused at first, then his expression softened, "Mother's gift?" his sister nodded, "Ah, well, it'll do us no good if you can't see their faces. Can you not practice to sharpen your skills?"

"I don't even know my own self alright Jin? All I know is the life I've lead, I-I would need chaos or just someone who knew about these things!" she turned sharply on her heel, suddenly upset at everything. Jin watched her, he sighed heavily. Sometimes he wished that she could see _his_ anguish.

**OOO**

The Uzuki's turned in what little evidence they'd gathered, plus the location they'd found them in. Jr was becoming more and more irritated at everyone for each minute that passed by MOMO was not in safety. They started a different search and were orginizing groups when an unexpected visitor appeared out of the blue.

"Whatchya doin'?" Cres asked over Jr's shoulder making him jump horribly.

"Crescent! MOMO's been missing!" Shion burst.

"Is that all?" the silver eyed huminoid replied nonchalantly, making Jr's face burn with anger.

"Why... why are you not worried. Even - ." she chose her words carefully around the officers, "even one such as you will be affected by the Y-Data!"

Cres took his usual pose with his arms behind his back, "Because she's safe."

Everyone looked at him in disbelief.

"And how would you know that!" Jr growled.

"Shion would know." she side glanced her, "You saw them, right? Your Sight told you they weren't kidnapped by the U-TIC." Shion hesitated. Cres shrugged, "In any case you can relax, she's safe."

"If she's safe then why can't we come in contact with her?" Gaignun said.

"Because if that happened then she'd be traced and we can't have that happen."

Jr stepped in front of the phoenix, "Out with it!" Shion was worried, these days everyone involved with the supernatural had to be careful of their words for even a small child could be an enemy.

Cres wasn't phased by the aeon's intimidation, "Rubedo," at the mention of his real name Jr's guard crumbled, "MOMO is safe, she will be returned in due time but only after we're through with this small plan." he started walking backwards a few steps before turning his back, "In the mean time I'd watch your own back. All of you, things are going to get ugly soon."

"Cres! Wait!" he turned, "Has anyone good or bad found the seals?" Shion asked.

"If I told you that I would have to kidnap you before your time." was all the silver eyed phoenix answered, "Remember this Shion, Jin. The Fallen don't particularly like you." in the blink of an eye he was gone.

**OOO**

"Exactly who is running Vector now that our CEO has vanished?" one worker was conversing.

"The Board of course, but they'll be electing a new Chief Excecutive soon if Wilhelm doesn't return."

"Ahuh.. anyway the Temperal Lobe..."

Everything was pretty normal when Shion walked in except for one thing: still no Allen Ridgley. Shion was rather irritated at her co-worker now.

"Chief Uzuki!" a man named Greg approached her, "I know your job is a supervisor, but would you mind doing an Encephalon Dive for us? Kos-mos is rejecting everyone, we already have three people in the medical facility because of her misbehaving. And with hands short we don't want to risk anymore."

"And why would I make a difference?"

"She asked to speak with you privately."

"I see, well then get the dive equipment ready."

"Yes ma,am!"

Shion sat in the Dive chair, the visor closing over her eyes. She entered in all the codes, the procedures following. All lines that allowed the others to listen to conversation or watch had been closed except for monitors to keep track for any problems.

Her sight was obscurred with cracking data before it cleared. The scene was the same as that of their test before Kos-mos had awakened on her own in the Woglinde.

**CONFIRMED...**

**NOW OPENING CAGE PARTITION.**

Computer codes gathered together into a blurry image then all at once snapped together to form Kos-mos. She was different, no longer did she have her prototype armor, it had been upgraded so that only her face seemed real. Her body was translucent, you could see the machinery working within the walls of her hard 'skin'.

"Good afternoon Kos-mos, what's on your mind?"

"Greetings Shion, as of the recent departure of the Phoenix race I have been experiencing many difficulties. Such as program malfunctions in my behavior core."

"I see, this is why you've been misbehaving lately."

Kos-mos tilted her head slightly, the same blank look in those red eyes.

Shion thought a moment, "Do you miss him?"

"If you are refering to the maintanence engineer and phoenix, chaos. Then I do not understand. I am not programed with illogical human emotions tothe degree of even a battle realian." she replied. Shion arched one brow, then pulled out her portable terminal. She checked for actual human brain waves but it was a flat line. _Hmm, perhaps I'm looking a bit too shallow._ She adjusted the search to the blackboxes that they'd discarded at the time of the Woglinde, even now all the other workers could not access them. But she didn't need to try something that drastic, all she needed was one thing from them.

_Kevin..._

There it was! The stubbornly flat wave pulsed once hardly noticable but that was enough for Shion. She put away her terminal, "Kos-mos, be honest with yourself. Are you... feeling anything? Anything at all? It doesn't even have to be about chaos."

"You above all people should know that I am not capable of 'feeling'."

"Kos-mos! Stop lying to yourself! Your program is afraid of not being perfect, that's why you're trying to surpress the hidden you!" _wow Shion that's a new one,_ the engineer thought. The android did not respond to this.

"Shion, apart of your job is to help me function properly."

She sighed heavily, _so stubborn! _"Alright then, have it your way. From what we can tell the only problems are in your behavior core. But they're small, the malfunctions start then stop sooner than our equipment can track them. So all you have to do is search your own mind down to the bitter last corner till you can find the problem yourself. You are modeled with a self adjusting adjusting system. Or did you forget that?"

"Thank you, Shion." the scenery seemed to flinch as the image projected for the meeting place began to destabalize.

"Kos-mos!" automatically she was pulled out before she went beyond the safety limits. Not that she hadn't ever done so before.

"Chief Uzuki! The target has shut herself down."

"What?" Shion unhooked herself from the dive device.

"No need for an outbirst, Chief. It's only temporary. Kos-mos is doing a thorough self examin, but she's cut off all our lines to her Encephalon."

"She wants to do it alone."

"Huh?"

Shion shook her head, "It's nothing. Well, keep everyone on the alert. I'm going outside, you can contact me via my terminal."

"Yes ma'am. Have a good day."

**OOO**

Shion found herself wandering to the edge of the city near the Miltian starport. The sea... why was it that humans always had a fascination about it whether out of fear or curiousity? It was just a mass of water hiding beneath it more mysteries than land. Shion thought it might be due to the fact humans were born surrounded by water in the mother's woam, so it was natural. But still...

The sun arced high in the sky, the water below glittering like a sea of white diamonds rather than water. A few ships came in to land, the unatural noise shattering the salty air with racket. It was almost a sweet smell, the sharp but not unpleasant scent of salt and fish. The cool moist breeze toying with her hair.

"Where could you be Allen?" Shion asked herself before she knew what she was doing. There it came again, he was a good comrade. At this Shion didn't know why, she felt a tug of wrong at that last word. Had she been so selfish she'd never noticed he'd liked her all that much? What was the burden he was carrying? What was everything leading to! Shion suddenly felt angry, she stomped her foot turning a cold shoulder to the sea and stopped. Standing behind her was Pelligri.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth.

"Wha - ? What are you doing here!"

"I decided that I was tired of the U-TIC drones so I came here to have a real conversation. You know, a woman to woman talk." Shion made a very good guess as to what the hand behind Pelligri's back was holding. The engineer slowly started sidestepping so that she wouldn't have the disadvantage of the cliff behind her. She knew it didn't matter if Pelligri fell, the woman could fly after all.

The Fallen Phoenix followed her movements, "You seem to have a lot on your mind."

"Probably not as much as you if you try to kill me!"

"Now now," a hot breeze kicked into a whirlwind around them causing Shion to activate her Ether to summon her weapon Miyuki had left for her, "Come, tell me what's bothering you." Pelligri tilted her head grinning. She was toying with the half breed, knowing full well Shion's power was surpressed by her human limits. And the fact that she couldn't use them.

"I'm wondering why you want to kill me." She wasn't going to satisfy the bitch with a real answer.

The U-TIC member closed her eyes momentarily before opening them again, "You reek of potential aeon and of Nyima's scent. I cannot allow you to create your wave." in the blink of an eye Pelligri lashed out with her whip. When it cracked near Shion's face it let out a shockwave of energy that sent her flying.

"You're only a hatchling!" Pelligri cracked the whip again, causing the engineer to writhe in pain on the ground, "You are a disgrace!" the bright haired woman pulled Shion up by the scruff of her shirt and bore down into her soul with her eyes, animosity glittering in them, "Only your metal toy is of use, to destroy leaders of oposing sides deals emotional damage beyond repair." Shion tried to gasp for breath but it wouldn't go down her throat to her lungs, "You can't kill him!"

"Oh but we won't directly, relationships are so easily destroyed!"

The brunette's green eyes widened, "You can't mean Mintia! Y-you would try... !" her voice cracked as Pelligri's body began to shine with dark gold light, the light transfered to Shion. She jerked as something was touched that wasn't meant to be.

"That girl, the mixture of enemies is a great deity of power beyond that of even Abel's Ark. She's an empty shell of memories, the pain of her own death, and her jealousy! Ha! She wants to end it all. Mintia's a sad pathetic piece of art, confused, only wishing for the pain to end!" Shion cried out in horror as her body started to turn ghastly white.

Pelligri grinned in triumph, "You may not have been infected, but that doesn't mean the seed has died."

"How about you go back to the infected nest you came from!"

Glittering black cords streaked through the air as the twisted around a shocked Pelligri as if they were snakes. The phoenix was jerked away and up into the air, black blood streaming from where the cords cut into her flesh. Shion dropped to her knees coughing for air. She glanced around frantically for her savior to see him standing one hundred feet away on an outcrop of rocks. It was Allen. And yet... it wasn't Allen.

He wasn't wearing his uniform any longer. It had been replaced by dark jeans, zipped together over him a black coat. Covering his hands were gloves but there was a difference. connected to the tip of each finger was one of the black cords and yet there seemed to be more than just ten. But all that wasn't what made him not Allen, it was the windows to his soul, the eyes. They were not bright like they'd used to be, like a small cloud had slightly obscurred the human light.

Allen gripped one one hand into a fist and pulled back, the thin cords screeching against eachother like out of tune violins. Pelligri screamed in rage before struggling franticly to escape. Beams of consintrated heat cut the cords as fast as they regenerated. At last she dropped to the ground, knees almost buckling beneath her weight. Her clothes were rags of blood clinging to her skin. The flesh stinging as her natural healing was delayed by a toxin on the cords.

With the grace she'd never seen, Allen threw his hands back on either side of him, the cords untangling themselves and hovered, waiting for his moving command. The look of calm anger bearing down on Pelligri as he waited for her next move. She just kept looking at him in shock, like she'd known him from before.

"So the balance of power has shifted again." she mumbled, "I'll be back to finish this." before Allen could react she vanished in a flash of dark light.

After the taint of evil had gone, a moment of uneasy silence followed. It was all Shion could do to keep herself composed. Her heart pounded against her rib cage threatening to burst. Why was she suddenly afraid? Allen watched her. He pulled in his arms against his chest with his fingers still spread wide, the cords wove around eachother into a fine weave that fit into webbing between the fingers despite they looked several yards long.

"Shion," his voice seemed deeper, "Come here." even though his face remained impassive, he was saddened when she didn't move, "Shion, I said come here." he said with a little more firmness. Greatly hesitant in front of this new being, Shion obeyed. Allen's aura had changed she noted for a reason she did not know, perhaps a hidden instinct. Before he'd been an intelligant fellow that dedicated himself even if he was a worry wart. Now... it was filled with strength, mystery, burden.

Allen tilted his head when she stopped five feet away, "You were never afraid of me before." his voice was gentle.

"I-I didn't know what you were before."

"You still see me as a friend." he closed his darkened eyes at something before looking at her again, "That is understandable. Or do you not see me as a friend anymore?"

Shion breathed in, "I don't know. Allen, please."

"Yes, I promised didn't I?" he shifted his weight, "Very well, the I was an experiment. I awakened sooner than the phoenix's expected, I was not mature with power so I was placed dormant inside a human body so that I was to grow to the expected measures. That's why my concious half never wanted to be in life threatning situations. I was protecting myself till maturity came."

"You're... you're not Allen?"

The aubern haired man folded his arms chuckling humorlessly, "Not the Allen you know anymore."

"But - ... what were the phoenixes hoping to accomplish with you? How could they do a cruel thing as experiment on humans!" Shion burst, she felt tears stinging her eyes but forced them down as best she could.

"They didn't use humans at first, I am the archetype so to speak. They only used the body of a man that was no longer alive, just a vegetable on a hospital bed kept alive by mechanical functions. But you of all should understand that casualties do happen."

"You're a weapon." Shion couldn't help but start to shake, she didn't know what to do now, "What are they planning to do with you?"

Allen looked distant a moment before answering, "I'm not sure really. They never told me what I was being created _for._ But most likely it's something dangerouse since I am equiped with unique abilities."

"Don't!" Shion found herself yelling, "Don't talk about yourself as if you're an android because you're not! You're still..." she wanted to say his name but for some reason it didn't fit anymore.

The flesh archetype tipped his face to the sky, "You don't know how much it means to me for you to say that. You know, from what I remember, some of the phoenixes called me the Puppeteer. Apropriate for my abilities but I do not like it. You can continue to call me by the one you know." he looked her in the eyes, walked toward her and carressed her cheek with the back of his hand, "See you later." his hand trembled slightly as he pulled away.

"Wait!"

"You and your brother shall see things no demoted human has the right to see Shion." Allen said as he walked away, "Trust in our ways, for the Awakening of the Three Dimensions is coming. I hope you are ready for that time."

"Wait what are you saying? Allen? Allen!" Shion called after the man but he did not turn.

**OOO**

_"Come out come out where ever you are..."_ Cres taunted in the comfort of the darkness. He felt the flutter of something stirring and smiled. _"Yes, bring it to us. Bring us the Vessal so that the other one may awake!"_

0

Wilhelm looked up as his testiments left to go back to the dragons universe, _"Let the Daemons reek shreds into the inner plains. Let their beauty, their pain and will to power shine across the Ultima's face."_ the Elder Phoenix stood at the edge of the precipace looking out over what had once been a beautiful place now streaked with darkness. The Testiments vanished with their giant machines only used in the dragons realm. One Testiment the White Rider, soon to be reunited.

_"Let act two begin."_

0

_"With pleasure, I shall draw the curtain." _Cres glanced down at MOMO, he knelt placing his hands on both her shoulders, "It's time, are you ready?"

The 100-series prototype nodded, "Yes, if it helps everyone else."

"In the end it will." Cres smiled.

"But what about Akita? Where did she go?" MOMO clasped her delicate fingers together with worry.

"She's fine, she had to join her brothers and sisters for her purpose."

MOMO shifted her weight back and forth, "Um, may I see her later?"

Cres frowned, "Well - if you really want to." he watched as the realian struggled with something. _She wants to cry_, he realized. Cres pulled her into his comforting embrace, "Shh shh, go ahead. It's alright to cry once in awhile. Trust me, I've cried."

MOMO gripped his coat tightly gritting her teeth, amber eyes darkened with moisture, "I want Mommyand Ziggy. I want Jr... I want chaos too! Why won't he come back to protect us like he used to?" her voice cracked. In her wish to become like that of a human, MOMO never fealt less realiant on her intricate nano machinery than when crying. The pain told her what she was within her heart.

Cres kissed her hair and rocked her slightly back and forth, "Sorry sweety, but chaos has his own problems to deal with back home." _and he fears coming back as much as he yearns to._

**000**

**Ooh was that a good enough cliffe:dodges all smacks and monsters sent after: Well you know me I love cliffhangers! Ok please press de review button so I know how bad or good I did! Chaou for now!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ha! I am not dead! Just busy and writer's block xP**

**Chapter 8:**

Cres didn't think it was the best idea for MOMO to see Akita in her state, not only that the realian was not on Miltia anymore either. So he put off giving the prototype a communication till later when she wouldn't get upset before something important needed to be done. The poor girl had already been scared out of her circets at being obtained the way she was. Of course, it hadn't been the plan but the real owners, good friends of his actually, didn't want Akita to fall into the wrong hands.

The silver haired male entered the rec room to find MOMO sitting alone at the table. She was swinging her feet back and forth, her eyes as distant as a realian could get.

"MOMO?"

The little girl snapped out of her daze, "Oh! I'm sorry Cres... I was just... thinking."

"It's alright to think, but don't think too hard. Sometimes that will only confuse you further." Cres waved the apalogy aside as he sat down across from her, "Penny for your thoughts?"

MOMO at first was reluctant, but she just didn't see how weighing herself down with burdens would help any of her friends, "Why must I do this again?"

Despite his seriousness Cres had to stifle a laugh, "Sorry MOMO, I know it's the nerve wracking part you're doing. But trust me you're in very good hands, the ones other than me protecting you from the dark phoenixes will be my cousins." Despite the fact that bloodlines didn't matter to the Phoenixes as much as they did the humans, they'd somehow kept track of that.

"Really? The two that picked up me and Akita are your cousins?"

"Yep, Aika and Oyma Seraphim."

MOMO shook her head in surprise, "You mean the famous Seraphim Sister's are phoenixes to? Wow, I've never heard their music but I'm sure it's beautiful. Poor Captain Matthews, his favorite music group won't be around forever." It was the sad truth, the phoenixes were leaving this dimension as soon as their mistakes and duties were finished. This, after all, was not their place to intervene.

The young looking being sat back smiling sadly, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them, "Yes that's true. Once our jobs are finished we will retreat and finish our petty squabbling at home. But you're wrong about one thing: They'll be around for as long as eternity, just not here. The Serephims are what they are to help the people in their hurricane of emotions in these confusing days, just as Wilhelm ordered them to."

"Cres? What about Shion and her brother? What happens to people like them?" Instead of recieving an answer, Cres was conveniantly inturrupted by the opening of the door.

"Ready MOMO?"

Cres winked at the pink haired realian, "I'll be back later, I need to finish a little something before I join you guys."

**OOO**

Jr was agitated, it had been almost a week since Crescent had said MOMO was safe. But to him, she was not safe till she was in his sight again. He wished the doors weren't automatic, he needed something to slam. The URTV didn't dare go to the firing range because his trigger happy fingers might cause trouble. Gaignun wasn't there to help him though, he was busy with poloticians and other things he didn't bother to mention. Shion was busy at Vector and who knew where Allen was. Actually, the new Allen popped in now an then to help with Kos-mos but sometimes he'd disapear for long periods of time. Jin was at home, seeming to be impassive in the situation. The only one Jr didn't really know how he was doing was MOMO's guardian, Zigurat 8.

The cyborg had been avoiding contact with most of the group, he seemed to still be searching quetly for MOMO. It was only his job as the situation still fell under his orders from the CSC. Speaking of the comittee, Dr. Mizrahi hadn't really said anything about MOMO's disapearance. In fact, from what Jr could sense telepathically, Juli was torn between something. Jr knew almost exactly how the doctor felt, perhaps it was a little harder for him to not see Sakura instead of MOMO in that synthetic body. And yet the differences were obvious. Why was it so hard just to make the choice?

"Jr." the shorter URTV turned to see Gaignun standing at the door. He must be really into his thoughts he hadn't even heard the door open.

"Did you ever think that thinking too much might make the time go by slower?" Gaignun approached his older brother slowly but surely, stopping only a few feet away.

"What would you know?" Jr growled.

"I would know from listening to your impatience. Luckily I've found something to keep you from wearing away a hole in the floor from your pacing."

"What?"

"Helmer would like you to scout out the area with Canaan no doubt. With Cres' obviouse introduction he has to keep the public calm by doing something." Gaignun handed the other a passkey and datapad, "You will go," he ordered firmly, "MOMO is fine if she's in the hands of the Phoenixs." Jr looked from the passkey to his brother back and forth a few times before thanking him.

"Gaignun."

The red head didn't turn around, niether did Gaignun.

"Do you ever feel... power beyond what we could describe in words? The... dragon entity?" There was a moment of silence between them that grew heavy with words unsaid.

"...I don't feel much of anything anymore." Nigredo replied quietly, "But I am hearing thoughts with more ease. You'd better go now Jr."

"Fine."

**OOO**

It actually felt good to be doing something instead of being cooped up doing nothing. It was one of those moments Jr knew his little brother had been right. The Miltia geography below him flew by in silent speed. It felt good to be back inside the Asher as its seating made it feel like he was flying since he didn't have something obstructing his view except a few panels.

"A lot has been happening, Rubedo. I am curiouse as to what you can tell me." Canaan's slightly monotone voice came from below.

His real name struck a nerve, "Canaan! I've told you I'm Gaignun Jr now!" the URTV sighed in exasperation.

"Right. I apalogize."

Jr sighed leaning back but keeping the controls steady, "It's a clash of worlds with the same people." that was the very watered down version of it all.

"I see. These people wouldn't happen to be our own Federation and the Miltian Star System would it?"

"No, they're just the annoyances really. But what you wouldn't want, is to be stuck in a hand to hand combat with them."

Canaan blinked his eyes as readings flashed across them with the nanomachinery, "I overheard from Helmer that you eliminated an entire gnosis planet. It's hard to think that those creatures can be that intelligant."

Jr swallowed the pain that had suddenly gripped his throat, "That wasn't me really, I only helped. It was chaos and... his sisters that elimated the Queen Gnosis."

Out of the bottom of his eyes Jr saw Canaan glance up at him in slight surprise, "Sisters? chaos has sisters?"

He nodded his head, "Yep, triplet sisters actually. inochi and shi are their names."

"Translated from Japanese as 'life' and the number four which is actually the meaning of the curse of death." Canaan said more to himself than to his comrade before turning around again, "How did they get involved?"

"..." Jr lifted his eys from the computer screen, "Well, chaos was sick and he didn't tell us. It made him turn on us, and he didn't tell us that he had family equally as power ful as him trapped with the Queen. Memories saved us only... and MOMO." the URTV didn't say anymore and Canaan didn't ask.

Long minutes passed where only the occasional beep of the computer and the thrum of the muted engine could be heard. Then without warning the screen flashed red and alarms sounded as the scanners picked up a missile lock on.

"What the hell? Attacking right in the middle of this area is suicide with the Miltian Army isn't too far away!" Jr activated the weapons systems while Canaan made evasive manuvers. The ES spiraled several times before the missiles hit eachother in the complicated pattern.

"It's the ES Isaachar." Canaan said with composure.

"And how would you know that?"

"I just do, it's the closing in of something Pellagri has installed in her unit. I can't describe it, but I always manage to do... something that affects her ES without even trying." Canaan explained.

Jr recalled the day Pellagri had attacked them when they'd first arrived on Miltia, "Huh... maybe her navigation program is drunken with with your presence when you get close."

"That's not funny Rubedo." In perfect synchronization the two made Asher a living machine of hunting. Hiding within the clouds under a program that made tracking by signal almost impossible, the ES Isaachar bolted out of its hiding place. The giant mechanical hand hovering over its backside swiped the Asher away with tremendous force. Metal groaned with stress and combustable elements rocketed into the skys of the planet.

Jr opened a communication line in hopes for a little distraction although it was useless, "Pelligri! What is it you hope to accomplish by killing us? Honestly, it's getting very old. Plus we don't know where MOMO is!" there was nothing but silence and a few counter attacks in response.

"Damn it Pelligri answer me!" Jr yelled. Again all he recieved was silence. Finaly a ceasefire came as an image of the oposing ES' pilot materialized in front of the URTV.

Jr. blinked in curprise as the U-TIC officer's face was cut finely with what looked like infected blood vessals around the edges. The view hit the memory of chaos good and hard but he managed to fight down the rush of emotions. She was an enemy.

"Ridding the universe of two of Helmer's best would be a great help to Margulis." she answered.

"Well that's good to hear for your side. Now why are you really here? No wait!" Jr inturrupted, "Don't tell me... you're here to hurt someone. Not necessarily us, but someone else. Who."

The obviously angered woman leaned forward, "That is none of your business aeon!"

"You're supposed to be above all these emotional outbursts! You're definately not acting as a higher being." Jr snapped. The screen instantly was replaced by missile launch warnings. Asher fired its cannons destroying the threat but not the source. Again the huge machines were locked in combat more ferociously than before. The firefight was already attracting the attention of the nearby cities despite their cloaking devices.

Canaan's muscles twitched with strain as he wrestled with the controls. He tightened his grip, struggling to maintain the great power in his hands. Once again the annoying ring in head was starting again, just like before when he'd come in contact with the Isaachar. The realian gasped as he saw Wilhelm's eyes flash across his mind's eye briefly. Alarm systems howled as the ES Asher shook violently. Canaan's mind burst with frequencies and blurred aurouran lights. Jr's yell of surprise was not even heard as the ES' vanished in a blast of jumbled note like signals and light emmited from the Isaachar. Followed by a huge explosion.

**OOO**

"Allen?" Shion reluctantly pinched her friend's arm to get his attention, "I asked you if you think I'm right."

"Hmm? Oh, I think you're right. It follows Kevin's theory... or rather his feeling that Kos-mos has the ability to become more than a machine." Allen responded. They'd been reviewing the most recent developments on the project for the past half an hour.

"So she's basically arguing with herself all this long time." Shion pondered.

"I hope she doesn't develope a case of split personalities."

"Well actually that sounds what will most likely happen just not like they do in the movies. It'll most likely be more subtle than that." the chief engineer rubbed her chin before leaning back sighing heavily. Allen nodded in agreement. Shion glanced up at him, at ease like the military was always the way Allen stood nowadays.

Allen noticed his chief's interest, "What?"

Reluctantly Shion jumped as if stung, "Nothing!"

"You're still uncomfortable with me."

"Well... ah ok ya I still am." Shion felt totally miserable for this.

"Relax, Chief. Just pretend I never changed. Easier said than done considering you see me for what I am most of the time." and he was right, the half human was going a little crazy with her hereditary vision. While in the Division, Allen was under the illusion of his regular self to everyone minus Shion who could see plain as daylight most of the time.

One of the other co-workers approached them, "Excuse me, Chief Uzuki. You have a message from the CEO of the Kukai Foundatian, shall I allow it through?"

"Yes please!" Shion turned her attention back to her console with high hopes.

Gaignun's face appeared on a side screen, "Shion, I believe we've found our MOMO."

Shion grinned excitedly, "Really! Where? Is she alright? Does Jr know about it?"

"I've been trying to contact him for the past fifteen minutes but for some reason his com's off. Which is odd involving how worried he is about MOMO." Gaignun frowned.

"Is MOMO with you?" Allen asked over Shion's shoulder.

"Why don't you check this channel and find out for yourself." Gaignun entered in an URL to one of the UMN universaly broadcasted frequencies. Shion simply stared at the video footage.

Allen straightened up, "Well, shall we get going then?"

**OOO**

The Seraphim Concert.

The absolutely last place anyone would expect to find MOMO _participating _in no doubt. What were the phoenixes thinking just showing off where the realian was to the entire galaxy. Whatever the plan was, Shion thought it most probably to lure certain Fallen to them. But at such a high cost? What exactly was going on?

Aika and Oyma looked pretty much like any other human. Oyma was the older of the two wearing mostly shades of deep green songstress garb and gold trinkets that seemed to compliment her shapely figure. Her fair skin and long brown hair brought out the green in her eyes that seemed to glow as she sang, dancing between lyrics and entrancing the crowd. Aika had dark almost black hair of the same length, she seemed to prefer a more distinct songstress uniform which seemed to be chrome blue and hard silver. Their band was playing live behind them, flashing colored lights and special cinematic graphics adding a little more spice to the concert. The people of Miltia was loving this production as the singers entertwined them in their words. Shion saw fiery red feathers flutter across the stage out of nowhere as the breeze picked up. _Those must _their_ feathers._ The engineer thought, getting used to and yet still going crazy with Nyima's sight. She knew what the singers really were. Someone touched her shoulder to get her attention.

Allen pointed to the stage to where MOMO was sitting. The little pink haired realian was playing the piano. Her fingers flew over the keys as she threw her heart into the music.

"Wow, I didn't know she could play the piano." Shion blinked a few times in surprise.

"Dr. Mizrahi must've programed it so she could be more like his real daughter." Gaignun appeared behind them, almost having to yell over the ruckus the crowd was making. They looked back to the stage as something pricked their minds. What looked like a part of the dance, was really Aika pointing directly at them then shrugging toward the stadium's far edge. Shion squinted before realizing shadows were gathering, she could sense the Fallen's twisted aura. Abruptly a familiar voice joined in chorus with the Seraphim Sisters, it was Crescent. The crowd roared with delight at this newcommer's voice. Shion was tempted to lose herself in the lyrics but now was not the time. They had to stop the dark phoenixes from crashing this party and taking MOMO.

"Security won't respond, they're too busy with the citizens." said Allen.

Shion bit her lip before turning to her creation, "Kos-mos, how fast do you think you can get up there and delay them?"

"Approximately 15 seconds if not fired apon." the android replied with her familiar blank stare of calculation at the wall.

Allen stepped forward, "I can help as well, no offense Kos-mos but if they want to they can rip you to shreds. I have toxins in my threads, that should help."

"I think we need to outfit Kos-mos with new weapons. The gnosis aren't much of a threat anymore... I hope. Alright on my signal then."

"Wait how are we supposed to engage with all these people arond?" Gaignun protested, "If people get hurt here there'll be mass panic and more dead from everyone trying to escape than an attack."

"No worries, these people are so drunken up with those phoenixes spells they won't know an explosion from a special effect." Allen said.

"Then MOMO should be safe up there with them. Hey wait a minute where's Jr?"

Gaignun shrugged, "I still can't get a hold of him!"

"But you _did_ get a hold of me." Jin shoved his way through the crowd toward them. Shion was still surprised her brother hadn't been arrested for carrying that sword around.

"They are crazy for luring the Fallen here filled with so many people." Gaignun mused.

However, Jin shook his head, "They aren't stupid, plus it's an advantage actually. All of them are bound very weakly by the rule of secrecy of their race. So to transform would get people to wonder then eventually try to pursue where they are not allowed."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Shion concurred.

"But they are willing to kill regardless, let's hope we can get this over with before that." In the blink of an eye Kos-mos and Allen leaped up, the android clasping the ridges and swiftly climbing the vertical wall while Allen lashed out with the cords of his gloved fingers with the movements of an acrobatic on high wires. Not long after the two had disapeared over the edge there was flares of light as battle ensued followed by what looked like a spray of blood. Shion flinched at the sight but didn't break down. It was a fact, war was apon them and she was caught right smack in the middle whether she liked it or not.

"The citizens," Jin said aloud, "it's like they're all in a trance or something."

"Just don't start drooling over them to brother." both glanced up as another huge explosion happened, damaging stadium's outer wall. A body fell over the side followed closely by Allen who caught it in his tangle of cords, keeping himself from falling by landing perfectly balanced on them. Shion was flustered at what could happen. She was about to voice her worries to Gaignun and Jin when a blast of ether came from the stage. The Seraphim sisters had heard her troubles. Around their feet as they danced came symbols and patterns of unknown origin. It bounced smoothly from one color to the other, the sigil spreading throughout the crowds feet and bodies. The music suddenly changed its tune completely from techno to trance. The steady yet soft music seemed to be helping with the songstress' ether that they were weaving together. Slowly, in small groups the people began to disapate still raving to the music. They would have no memory of this except leaving an amazing concert held by the sisters.

After the crowd was gone the Fallen leaped from walls toward the stage. Many were caught unaware by Allen, in their struggle to escape their bindings they were cut to bloody pieces. Kos-mos seemed to take on after Jr as she pulled out duel fire arms to increase the amount of those she killed relentlessly. She leaped after managing to tackle two out of the air. Jin rushed those on the ground drawing his katana. Shion watched in almost a blissful state, she saw why her brother was an elite fighter. He had speed that no none upgraded human could have.

All the while Aika and Oyma continued to sing without skipping a beat. MOMO was no longer playing the piano. She was standing watching the carnage as the sides faught over her Y-Data that was no longer there. The sisters and Cres hit the final words with all their hearts and the sigil that had engulfed the stadium flared into the columns of light into the sky where they skattered wildly. The portal the trio had created opened, allowing the Elder Phoenixes and their giant ES' once again into Miltian air. If someone had pressed slow on time it was then.

They landed in silence, all the Testimants. The Fallen hesitated at this new turn of events, aparently believing that the Elders wouldn't come quite this soon. Shion's heart raced as she picked out the face she'd wanted to see for the longest time.

chaos stood among the Testimants along with his sisters who were holding either of his gloved hands. His seemingly tired transluscent eyes met hers for a moment before he turned away. A heavenly aura seemed to surround them even though it was only the columns of sigils on the floor. chaos, inochi and shi approached Cres and his cousins who were waiting on the stage. chaos knelt to one knee so that he was relatively at MOMO's level. A few words unheard were exchanged and the little realian leaped into their friends' arms hugging him tightly.

After that, chaos pried her off and held her hands in his saying something else. She seemed confused for a moment before nodding. He then nodded to his sisters and they surrounded MOMO with linked hands forming a triangle. Ether radiated from their bodies in pastel colors that joined the realian's body. Suddenly a light literaly popped out of MOMO's form and the light faded. That's when it downright smacked Shion as obvious: It was one of the seals to the phoenixes' treasured lost ability. Before the Fallen could react a blur zigzagged through them tearing their flesh up.

"Don't look at me!" Allen yelled when Shion glanced over to him, "Although Canaan and Rubedo have arrived I'll tell you that." Almost as if on que the blur stopped, revealing Jr. He crouched over as if he had a really bad stomach ache then straightened up a little disoriented. However he came to quick enough when he realized black blood stained his hands. Shion jumped horribly when the air next to her blurred then formed into Canaan. Something was wrong however, the last she'd saw him he hadn't had blood pouring down the sides of his face. His eyes told of changes unknown.

Shion looked back to where chaos now stood looking up while holding MOMO in another hug. inochi was handing the ball of silvery light to the Red Testimant. A little puzzled, Shion followed chaos' gaze to the stadium's edge. He was watching Kos-mos and she was watching him.

**000**

**Whoa I even think this chapter is wierd. But I just hope you all enjoyed it. Yay! Return of chaos and the good stuff starts! Ahem, anyway. Press that review button and comment please! I'll update soon.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

"How is he?" the realian counsuler asked as he entered. Canaan was laying on his maintanence bed, the outer wounds patched up smoothly by the nano bots.

"Internal neuro damage is uncalculable, I'm not sure how he's still able to function with his pathways severed so badly." one of the workers reported.

Another looked over her shoulder, "However sir, it seems that instead of getting worse, his entire encephalon is being rewired into a completely different being. The only thing that hasn't been altered in the least is his still surpressed emotion and personality modules."

"What exactly do you mean his entire brain structure is being rewired?"

They all looked at eachother with uncertainty before one spoke up, "As far as we can theorize from the abnormally restructorized brain, Canaan's no longer the equivalent of a realian."

**OOO**

Shion hadn't realized how much she'd missed being in chaos' presence. His aura of serenity just made any pandemonium ensuing within her soul to calm, helping her confidence return. And, in adding his sisters who were all different yet the same, she felt even better. Like her troubles were mere shadows in the corner.

"So exactly how long has it been here since we left?" chaos asked, his voice smooth and experienced like before. At first Shion had wanted to talk with him alone but it was obvious it wasn't meant to be. His sisters almost never left his side and MOMO and Jr wanted to be there to.

"About six months give or take a few weeks. It's been really hectic around here especially since most of Vector's employee's turned out to be the bad guys."

"Under disguise actually." inochi lifted her head from her brother's shoulder, long white silver hair cascading like a waterful, "The real employee's of your industry will be returned as soon as we can locate them."

"If they're not already dead." shi concluded while she examined some damage dealt to Kos-mos' arm. Jr sat across from them feeling a little jealous that MOMO was sitting on chaos' lap. It was aparent that he'd let some of his dragonic rage get the better of him when Pelligri had died. Making MOMO nervous around him again, but atleast she wasn't outright afraid of him. She was still coming to terms and helping him calm the uncontrolled power within. It was all just... _annoying_. He finaly thought. shi placed caught everyone's attention unexpectedly with a flash of molten light as she repaired Kos-mos' arm.

MOMO looked up at chaos with her amber eyes, "What about Mintia, chaos?"

The phoenix didn't answer at first, his calm expression giving no inner thoughts away, "She will be put to rest, soon hopefully. Being a carrier of memories that are no longer yours is a burden not many of us are able to bear." he squeezed her hand slightly as he smiled. However, despite her programing for fillial warmth MOMO wasn't convinced. What that uncertainty was she just couldn't pin down.

"How are things back home?" Jr finaly spoke up.

shi answered, "Not as beautiful as your perspective gave you when you were witnissing the few key moments in our past."

inochi stood lacing her fingers behind her neck, "Yes, unlike here which is bound by physical law. Ours knows only the unlimits of ones perception of light."

"Huh?"

"What you see in our universe is depicted by the ruling thoughts which in turn are translated emotions simply put into words." chaos explained.

"So," Shion processed what she heard slowly so she would get it, "if we were to see it, then it would be a little different for each of us?"

chaos used a facial expression that could've been used for yes and no, "The landscape is never the same. It's always shifting, shaping itself to what we feel in our souls as one."

Jr stood, "So I imagine it's pretty bad with this war going on." chaos closed his eyes against something.

"We're not here to talk of our home. We're here to deal with the unfinished business we made in yours." shi finished her repairs on the android then turned to the group. Kos-mos slid off the table with a muffled _thump_! She checked her joints to be sure no functions not connected to her encephalon sensors were broken, but shi had done her job well. In fact far more efficiently than Shion and her workers had ever done. For a machine to consider the possibility of switching engineers, 1.2349 seconds was almost an eternity. The reason she rejected the idea was the due to the fact that each time she was around one of the phoenix race her sensors would just not acknowledge. It created a jam in her thought stream as they were there, she could interact with them but she just couldn't detect their presence with her hardware. It was frustrating to her systems.

"Ah!" MOMO jumped from chaos' lap sprinting to the door.

"MOMO!" Shion called in surprise.

"Ziggy's here." chaos answered before the realian disapeared behind the silent hiss of the automatic door.

"Ziggy!" MOMO practically rammed the cyborg in a leaping hug, though she didn't move him an inch. She hugged him tightly, "Did you hear? chaos and his sisters are back!" she suddenly shut her mouth at her companion's expression. Even though his face was the usual stone, his eyes looked a little tormented.

"Ziggy? What's wrong?"

The cyborg shook his head, "Nothing that you should be concerned of. I'm glad you're safe, it would be nice to meet chaos again."

Upon entering the room, Ziggy's attention was immediately drawn to the three phoenixes sitting side by side on one bench. shi's eyes met his and almost at once the memory of the Reaper came to his mind. She almost smirked when he thought that. He blinked in surprised.

"I see you're doing well, Ziggy. Good to see you again." chaos stood taking firmly the other's more or less flesh hand, "We can catch up more later, all of you. Right now we must attend to matters at hand till a moment of rare peace will come." everyone recieved his oh so loved gentle smile before he turned and left, his sisters not far behind. shi paused in front of Ziggy, bowed half way keeping eye contact, then went on her way. MOMO looked back and forth between the two, very confused.

Shion was very disapointed in chaos having to leave so soon, maybe a little scared that she wouldn't see him again but she tried to be strong. Auddenly Shion was brushed aside rather rudely by an errant Kos-mos.

"What-? Hey! Kos-mos where are you going?" she didn't recieve an answer. This was really getting on the engineer's nerves. Jr followed the android's example minus the bumping into someone part. He gave MOMO what he hoped was a reassuring smile and was glad to recieve one back.

"After I'm done talking with Ziggy... want to go play?" it was a childish sounding question. But Jr wasn't too far from the kid inside his heart.

Jr smiled, "Sure! Maybe even old man here will join us. Shion?"

"Huh? Oh, maybe."

"I know, we all want to be with chaos, but like he said. We'll all get the chance."

**OOO**

"Their souls are still dark with questions." chaos noted as he walked, enjoying the physical feeling of the world around him, "I hope that they will be ready, all of them."

"Especially those that have red in their past, whether willing or not." shi said. She didn't glance over her shoulder when one of the few Daemons joined them, it was Allen.

"I felt something stir in Vector and it wasn't a phoenix." the aubern haired male stated.

The sisters halted their steps in sync with chaos, "Yes, " he replied, "Canaan will join you soon. Once we restore order here in the aeon's dimension we will return to settle our home disputes."

"What do you wish for us to do?"

chaos' eyes reflected the color of the clear sky as he looked up, "When Canaan is complete in body, infiltrate the Fallen's ranks and make certain that they collapse from the inside out." he said slowly.

"Understood."

"Something else you wanted?"

Allen flinched slightly despite himself. Hardly anything was able to hide from chaos' calm gaze no matter who you were. Being what and who he was, Allen still had a human developed heart and soul, emotions were not out of the question when he'd been developing.

"I continue to feel strongly for Shion Uzuki, the personality that developed to hide me needs to always know that she is alright. But I am ashamed to say such, as she already is safe with you and her other friends present." the Daemon admitted. Silk Wing simply smiled knowingly before placing a firm hand on the other's shoulder, "She is the same, only lost. Do not worry Allen, we will watch over her." Allen returned the smile before departing in a whisp of silence. chaos continued to watch the place where the once worry wart engineer had stood.

"Their time is almost up." inochi inclined in a low voice.

shi closed her almost distant eyes, "So is ours." a lukewarm breeze touched each of their faces. For a precious moment all was silent, and calm. It was these fragments of time that chaos enjoyed the most. Especially when spent in the company of friends. He remembered the times when each race was in their child state, where there was only happiness, no lingering on what is or has been wrong. Pure simple laughter. It all seemed like a dream sheened in fog, sound muffled and the feelings distant. As if too innocent for even him to touch any longer. chaos missed this harmony before the wars broke out. _Over some petty ability we'd been relieved of for a reason not even Wilhelm can remember._ chaos let the bitter thought slip. Well now it was more complicated than that, but it was still the base for the conflict.

"Let's go, brother, we still have much to accomplish." inochi suddenly smiled her big sweet smile. One she only used to lighten a mood. Her brother chuckled while ruffling her long hair. Nearby the leaves rattled in the soft breeze, the trees creaked and the phoenixes were gone.

**000**

**Bleehh I'm sorry I had major issues to deal with in RL. Still am dealing with them. I'll try to get this updated before Thanksgiving or hopefully sooner. Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Holy frioly! I havn't updated this in one few months too long. Jeez I hate writer's block.**

**Chapter 10**

Everything had changed. His perspective, even his personality had been subtly altered. Canaan was in disarray from the change in his neural reconstruction recently. He didn't know who to turn to, the engineers at Vector seemed out of the question. Only to follow chaos' request seemed to keep his mind busy enough to ignore the changes occuring within his body.

"It's different isn't it? To actually feel." Canaan turned, startled to see Allen leaning against the wall oposite of him. Why hadn't he noticed before?

"On the contrairy, I feel... mute yet not. It's very frustrating."

Allen nodded, "Don't worry, eventually your body and mind will calm down. For now, let's prepare to leave."

**OOO**

Jr's heart felt much lighter as he strolled down the corridors of the Durandel. The shadows cast didn't seem as dark any longer. MOMO was back and safe, also she'd let him know that being what he was did not bother her. She'd done a very human like reaction: MOMO had gone through a stage of conflict and reasoning within herself. It seemed, that her reactions were more apart of _her_ than from her programming. _Machines aren't exactly all that different from us. _Jr thought while entering his office and absentmindedly poked at the data pads waiting to be read on the table. _They identify and react the way they have learned and or have been told to. The same concept as humans._ The red head stomped his foot at no one in particular, but MOMO was special! She'd been changed somehow in her ordeals with chaos, for the better. The URTV smiled inwardly.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Yah!" Jr nearly jumped out of his spur heeled boots at the foreign sound behind him. It was inochi.

Jr caught his breath, "Gah... don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I apologize." inochi smiled.

"No no it's alright, I guess I shouldn't let my guard down even with a few days of peace." he noted the lack of personas in the room, "Hey where's chaos?"

The phoenixs' angelic movements made her seem not quite real enough to exist, "Another matter called his attention. But you should know that he keeps his word to the best of his ability." her eyes constantly shifted in contrast to her creamy brown skin, like a mirror reflecting all different shades of blue.

Jr nodded quickly, "Well of course I know that. Uh, what'd you come here for?"

"I came to give you a mission." inochi stood looking out the picture window, "You've sensed it, your race is dying. Inside you feel each life ebb away because you are a master of time so you see with not your eyes but your soul that this universes balance in the future is tipping dangerously toward complete pandemonium." inochi turned her head towards him the light shimmering off her silver hair, "The end is near for the defenders of this dimension."

There was a moment of heavy silence while this news now put to light registered within Rubedo's mind. Indeed, he had known this but had never been able to put it into words he could understand himself. His dragonic spirit had declined over the years till now, and the language was rusty.

"What do you want me to do about it?" he said slowly.

"Nothing more than to seek and bring back. You must find the remaining female dracos. You know of whom I speak, your genetically altered sisters. Despite them being your 'siblings' they will help in bringing back the aeon generations." inochi caught the slightly sick look in Rubedo's face and chuckled soflty, "Not to worry, you are a young one of your race and have not seen a birthing. It is not what you think it is."

Jr wasn't convinced. But he put aside his childish views and stood straight. For a moment a memory of Citrine flashed across his minds eye, "Where would I find them? It's not like kept out in an open field with a neon sign pointing at them."

She grinned in amusement, "Nope I don't think so. But you are a telepath, and your dragonic half is starting to awaken once again. You will also not be alone on this." on que to her words, a figure appeared out of thin air. He was dressed from head to toe in white cloth and armor, his face blank with a mask.

**OOO**

"What are you thinking about Kos-mos? You seem awfully quiet...er than usual." Shion asked the android as they walked through the front gardens of HQ's building.

At first there wasn't an answer, "I am unsure, Shion."

"Unsure? _The_ Kos-mos being unsure? Come on, you can tell me!" the half human was getting a little frustrated at the gap growing between creation and creator.

Kos-mos did her signature blink before speaking, "chaos and the others say that there is a deal to fulfill. That agreemant has a 83.4 percent probability of including me. I am simply attempting to reason why it would include me. Unfourtunately they are extremely secretive therefore I have insufficient information on the matter."

Shion would've fallen over her own feet had her charge not caught her wrist, "Oh Kos-mos! After all that you've been through with chaos you can't - no you _won't_ put everything together! Why are you in such denial?"

"To be in denial - ."

"Ah! No!" Shion cut in, "Your blackbox programming is doing this. I get it, sort of. Kos-mos you need to be more open minded! Kevin obviously made you with more in mind than just fighting the gnosis!"

"And now the gnosis are becomming less of a threat. Soon they will be eliminated completaly as soon as the King Gnosis is destroyed. What use will I be for after that Shion?"

A soft familiar voice joined in, "You exist to serve others Kos-mos. As we all are here to serve eachother." chaos walked up to them smiling, "You cannot see beyond what you think you were made for? What did you imagine your life being years from now?" The android's mechanical red eyes quivered in their sockets. The conflict returned ten fold now that he was standing next to him. Her being almost the spitting image of Keteya, all the objectives which her strickly logical side forbade her to examine.

chaos didn't seem surprised when he didn't recieve an answer, "It's alright Kos-mos, it's better to concintrate on the present more so than the past or future." he turned to Nyima's daughter, "Wilhelm is calling you and Jin the Daemons. An honored title I suppose."

"I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything. I have something for us to do however. It's a request, I know you've been through a lot." he added.

"Oh spare me the politeness! We both know who's been through more." Shion snapped. Immediately she clamped her hand over her mouth.

chaos waved aside her apalogy, "It's fine. You're right, and you seem to be more confident in yourself which is good. You need to be ready for the battles to come. There are still two seals left that belong to us in this dimension. Like the one we removed from MOMO, the others will be hidden in two other hostes. Our time here is running out Shion, we need all the help we can get." he looked sad, "There is still the king to deal with, and the damage we've caused needs to be healed."

"You're leaving something out."

"That is not apart of this."

"Oh I think it is!" Shion pursued.

"No it isn't."

"If it involves you and Kos-mos particularly _my_ Kos-mos then yes I think it is definately involved." Shion placed her hands on her hips, a sure gesture of not dropping the subject. chaos had come to fondly call this her 'mother mode'.

His sigh was long, "Mintia will decide whether the memories are hers, until then it is not open for discussion."

"What about fulfilling the objective?" Kos-mos suddenly spoke up.

"All in good time Kos-mos. You will be at peace once again, and hopefully all of us will be. I cannot reveal everything yet." he turned back to Shion before she could question them, "So will you help us?"

"Well of course! There's simply too many unanswered questions here!"

"Heh, I knew I could count on you. You have such a strong spirit, like your mother's." chaos' last words suddenly brought the Vector engineer to a sad place in her heart. chaos wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. But Shion recovered from whatever she was thinking and smiled. Kos-mos was a sheen of cold over torn and incomplete thoughts.

**000**

**Gah! Another short chapter darn me! T.T But Im so full and sleepy! All that Thanksgiving food! Plus I was running on five hours of sleep all day somehow. Well Happy Thanksgiving! Oh and be sure to leave a review before you x out this page please. See ya all later! Hopefully I'll get back on track with this thing.**


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